


Heart In The Basket

by rachel_exe



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Anal Sex, Angst, Asexual Character, Asexual Hange, Basketball Player Levi, Blow Jobs, Bottom Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Cheesy, Confessions, Cuddling & Snuggling, Dry Humping, Enemies to Lovers, Falling In Love, Family Issues, First Times, Fluff, Hand Jobs, Humor, Intercrural Sex, Introvert Levi (Shingeki no Kyojin), Kissing, Life Choices, M/M, Masturbation, Minor Armin Arlert/Erwin Smith, Minor Moblit Berner/Hange Zoë, Mutual Masturbation, Riding, Rimming, Slow Burn, Sports, Top Eren Yeager, non-binary Hange, soccer player Eren
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-07-19
Updated: 2019-04-13
Packaged: 2019-06-12 23:18:40
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 32
Words: 112,048
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15350937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/rachel_exe/pseuds/rachel_exe
Summary: As his high school life nears the end, Levi has to decide what to do in the future while managing to win the basketball league to show an annoying brat who's the best.





	1. Prologue

**Author's Note:**

> Hello, and welcome to a new fanfiction!
> 
> First of all, this work was inspired by [ this ](https://liselawliet.tumblr.com/post/172725069120/basketball-player-levi-and-soccer-player-eren/) fanart, the moment I saw it I HAD to write a fic about it and so I did, even if it took me months to gather the courage to publish it. I still feel a bit unsure about it, but I decided it was time to publish it:)
> 
> I'm not an expert on basketball, so I had to look up a lot of terms and plays, if I didn't use a word correctly please tell me and I will change it. 
> 
> This is it for now, I will update weekly, let me know what you think of it down in the comments, leave kudos if you liked it and please enjoy! :)

“Kirstein,” Levi called, looking at the line of freshmen in front of him wearing gym clothes and looking considerably nervous.

“Here,” a tall guy with a two-toned haircut said, stepping out of the line and Levi checked his name off the list he had in his hands. 

“Jeager,” he said, looking back up. 

“H-here,” a tall brunet said, timidly raising his hand. 

Levi nodded and checked his name off as well. He called a few other names and when he reached the end of the list, he put the clip board down and then turned to the group in front of him. 

“Today we’ll select some of you to join our team,” he started. “Not all of you will make it and those who do will have to go through Hell during the first weeks, but it’ll be worth it in the end. We’ll start with some simple plays and then we’ll have a match. Don’t worry if you’ve never played basketball before, you’ll lean everything once you joined the team. Now pick a ball and start running bouncing it.” 

There was a general “yes” shouted from the group of boys and then they all went to the corner were the basketballs were stored. They all took a ball in hand before starting to run, forming a straight line and following the lines of court. 

The selection of the new members of the basketball team had officially started. 

From the side lines, Levi and a couple of his teammates helped the couch with the selection of the new team members. It was always a long and tiring process as there were a lot of candidates every year and even if Levi didn’t particularly like it, he had to do it as captain of the basketball team. 

Levi looked at all the boys running around the gym with the ball in hand, some managing to keep it in its place, others losing it and running after it. Most of them just stared at the ball, obviously not used to running with it because they probably had never played basketball, but there were a few that looked promising and ran without sparing a glance at the ball. 

“If you’re this slow you’ll never make it into my team,” the coach shouted, making the candidates run faster. “We’ll be lucky if we manage to find one decent player out of these snails,” he then muttered to Levi. 

The coach let them run for ten more laps and then stopped them, giving them barely enough time to catch their breaths before moving onto the next exercise. 

“Now, you’ll practice your shots. Form two groups and show me what you’ve got,” he ordered. 

The candidates formed two lines under the hoops and, taking turns, they started to aim for the basket. The more skilled ones went first while the others tried to hide at the end of the line, only a few ones were brave enough to step forward and throw the ball. 

In all honesty, Levi had seen worse. 

Most of the balls missed the hoop, but a few went in, clearly thrown by the people that had played basketball before. He kept looking at them as they all had their turns and saw that all of them dunked the ball into the hoop at least once except for one. It was a tall brunet that seemed quite on edge and kept throwing glances where he and his teammates were, twisting the hem of his shirt in his hands and easily losing the ball. 

Levi took pity on him and went near the hoop where he was. 

“Oi,” he called him. 

The brunet looked at him almost horrified and blushed all the way to his ears. 

“Y-yes?” he stuttered. 

“Bend your knees a bit and keep your arm straight,” Levi told him. 

“Oh, okay, thank you,” the brunet replied looking at Levi, but quickly averting his eyes. 

When it was his turn to shoot, he did as Levi told him, but he still missed the hoop, even if just for a few inches. 

“Keep trying, it’ll get in sooner or later,” Levi encouraged him. 

The brunet nodded, and this time his eyes remained on Levi a bit longer than before, giving Levi the opportunity to see that they were of a really nice hue of green, one he had never seen before, but that he wouldn’t have minded seeing more often. 

“What’s your name?” he asked. 

“Eren,” the brunet replied, blushing again. 

“Alright, Eren, keep working hard and you’ll improve,” Levi said before going back to where he was before. 

After that exchange he kept an eye on Eren and he could tell that the boy was trying really hard, but he lacked in coordination and speed. It was clear that he had never played basketball before and Levi knew that he wouldn’t make it into the team. 

This was confirmed when after almost three hours, the coach, Levi and his teammates gathered to decide the new members and Eren’s name wasn’t on the list of people who made it. 

When the coach announced the names of those who would join the team, Levi kept throwing glances in Eren’s direction, feeling sorry for him. Eren had had a determined look on his face while practicing the different plays and he reminded Levi of himself when he was the one being evaluated. 

After the coach finished calling the names of the new members, all the candidates went back to the locker room and when Eren walked near Levi he had a look on his face that a mixture of hurt, dejection and something else that Levi couldn’t name, but that kept him from talking to the boy. 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! This is where the fic officially starts, last week's chapter was just a very short prologue, but now our journey finally begins! I hope you're all as excited as I am, this will be my first time writing a rather long fanfiction, so I hope I won't suck at it (but tell me if I do)!
> 
> Also, thank you so much for all the comments and kudos you left in the previous chapter, they always make me put into perspective the really negative opinion I have about my writing and plotting, so it's really uplifting to see that people like what I write, I will never thank you enough <3 
> 
> That's all I have to say for this chapter, so enjoy! :)

One year later

A new school year was starting and, as Levi was walking towards his high school, he was thankful that this was the last one he had to spend there. It wasn’t that he was a bad student, in fact he easily passed all his courses, but most of the teachers were incompetent and he couldn’t stand the majority of the students, which made going to school a pain in the ass. 

The only thing he liked about that place was the basketball team he was part of. It was one of the best teams in the region and had won many high school leagues even before Levi had joined the team. However, the previous year his team came in second place in the league, losing for one point to their historical rival of a nearby town and for once, the other sports teams of the school were taken into consideration by the principal. 

The basketball team was the pride of the school with all the trophies and medals they had won, but right behind them came the soccer team. It had been founded only a few years ago, but soon became the second best team of the school. As it was expected, there was a lot of rivalry between the two and each year they competed to be the best representative of the school. Still, most years they had both won their respective leagues, so whenever one of the two lost, the other team made sure to rub it in their face. 

As Levi entered the building, a few people greeted him, but he didn’t stop to talk to anyone. He wasn’t necessarily popular but being in the basketball team had his advantages - or disadvantages, as he would say. He went straight to his lockers to put some books away and store tissues, hand sanitizers and wet wipes that he was sure he was going to need during the year.

His first lesson was biology and when he got to the lab he spotted a familiar face already sat at a desk in the front row next to the window. 

“Hey, Levi,” they said, waiving their hands enthusiastically. 

“Hi, Hange,” Levi replied, sitting next to them and opening his backpack to take out his book and notebook. Levi and Hange had been friends since middle school when Levi had been forced to pair with them for a history project and since that day Hange had always stuck with him. 

“I’m so happy we’re going to be biology partners this year as well,” they said with a big smile. 

“Just because you’re good at biology and I can easily get a good grade,” Levi retorted, taking out the biology book. 

“What happened to you last summer? This is the best compliment I’ve ever received in my whole life,” Hange replied, feigning to wipe a tear off their eyes. 

Levi rolled his eyes and opened the book to a random page. 

As they were waiting for the lesson to start, Hange pestered Levi of questions about his summer (he mostly worked and played basketball) and they even dared to ask the big question of what Levi was going to do once high school was over. Truth to be told, Levi didn’t know. There were a few subjects he liked, and he might even be able to get a good sports scholarship if he played really well this season, but he wasn’t sure he wanted to go to college in the first place. He still hadn’t made up his mind and he didn’t know who he should talk to, since he didn’t have any parents and lived with an uncle that was mostly absent. He kept procrastinating on making a decision, but he knew he didn’t have much time left before he had to make up his mind. 

While he was still lost in his thoughts, the teacher came in and soon started to explain the program of the year and general things about the course and the various projects they were expected to present during the year. Hange was excited as always when it came to biology and they kept asking questions about what category of animals they were going to study. When the teacher told them they were going to study vertebrates, they let out a little squeal of excitement and shook Levi’s left arm. 

“Let me go,” Levi said, harshly freeing his arm from Hange’s grip. 

Thankfully, the rest of the lesson went by quickly and as they were leaving the room, Hange kept telling Levi how excited they were about this year’s program. While they were walking down the hallway to go to their next class, they bumped into a small blond and a tall brunet. 

“Hi, Armin,” Hange happily greeted the blond.

The two of them had met the previous year when Armin was a freshman and Hange had offered to show the new students around. They immediately became friends as they both shared a passion for biology and during the year they often hung out together, even if near the end of the school year Armin was more interested in talking to Erwin, a close friend of Levi and Hange, than to his tutor. It was obvious that there was something between them, but neither had had the courage to make a move. Watching them flirt and be bashful around each other had made Levi sick for the last month of school, and he hoped he didn’t have to go through that kind of torture again this year. 

“Hi,” Levi simply said. 

“Hi, guys, how are you?” Armin replied with a smile. “Did you just have biology?” 

“Yes,” Hange said eagerly. “I’m so excited we’re finally going to study vertebrates, so no dissections this year, much to Levi’s relief.” 

“That’s great,” Armin replied, while his friend chuckled and looked at Levi with a scornful glare. 

Levi just ignored him, pretending he didn’t even exist, and, tugging Hange’s shirt, said: 

“C’mon, we have to go.” 

“Alright,” his friend said. “See you around guys.” 

“Bye,” Armin replied with a gentle smile. 

“Bye, loser,” the brunet said, looking at Levi. 

Levi glared at him and made his way down the hallway. 

“I see you and Eren are still on bad terms,” Hange said as they followed Levi. “I don’t have any problems with him,” Levi replied. “He’s just an annoying brat that can’t deal with rejection.” 

The previous year Eren had wanted to join the basketball team, but since he had never used a basketball before and since there were better candidates than him, Levi didn’t let him into the team. Ever since that day, Levi became Eren’s sworn enemy. The brunet joined the soccer team and changed so much it was almost impossible to recognise him: his body transformed, and he looked more like a man than a teenage boy. He even let his hair grow so that now he looked more mature, but it also gave him a dishevelled appearance as he always styled it in a messy bun.

Even his personality took a complete turn. When Levi first saw him during the selection, he was a bundle of nerves and whenever Levi talked to him, he could barely say a complete sentence without stuttering or blushing. He still remembered the one time he had tried to teach him the basics of what he was supposed to do, but the brunet could barely look at him in the eyes and had firmly kept his gaze to the ground, just nodding to let him know he had understood. Now he was more confident, but also ruder and more straightforward, never missing a chance to insult him. Levi didn’t have any problems with dealing with Eren, he mostly ignored the brunet’s comments and, in any case, Eren was never violent, so he just turned a deaf ear to whatever he said. 

“He’s still hot though,” Hange said, bringing him back to reality. 

“Are you still going on with this bullshit?” Levi said exasperated. It wasn’t the first time Hange made this kind of comment when talking about Eren. 

“All I’m saying is that he’s your type and the tension there is between you two could do wonders in bed, if you know what I mean,” they said, wiggling their eyebrows. 

“Oh my God, stop!” Levi said with a disgusted look. “I’d rather take a chastity vow than have his dick up my ass.” 

“I’ll remember these words,” Hange said with a grin while they entered the literature classroom. “There’s Erwin,” they said as they approached a tall blond sat towards the end of the room. 

“Hey, guys,” Erwin said with a wide smile when they stopped next to him. 

“Hi,” Hange replied. 

“Why are you so happy?” Levi questioned, frowning. 

“Armin and I finally got together,” the blond said, smiling victoriously. 

“Congrats!” Hange was quick to say. 

“With those hair of his?” Levi retorted with a perplexed look. Armin had a really ridiculous haircut, almost as if his mom had put a bowl on his head and cut the hair that came out. 

“I actually like it,” Erwin replied, not at all offended by his friend’s comment. “And unlike you I don’t judge people based on how they look.” 

“Savage,” Hange said at Erwin’s words. 

“Touché,” Levi replied, sitting next to his friend. 

Classes seemed to go on forever, but finally they were over for the day, and Levi could go to the first basketball training of the year. He went to the gym together with Erwin who was captain of the soccer team and had training as well. 

As he was changing into his team uniform – white jersey and shorts, knee pads and white basketball shoes – someone bumped into him, almost pushing him against the locker. He turned around with a death glare on his face only to see Eren walk past him. 

“Fucking asshole,” Levi muttered under his breath as he resumed putting on his uniform. 

“Is he still going on with his stupid crusade against you?” Erwin asked concerned. 

“Yeah.” 

“Do you want me to have a word with him?” 

“No, I can handle a shitty brat,” Levi replied, glaring again in Eren’s direction, but the brunet wasn’t looking his way. 

Once they finished changing, Levi and Erwin left the locker room together. 

“Well, good luck this year,” Erwin said with a grin. 

“Last year you got lucky that two of our best players got injured, but this year we are taking back the crown,” Levi retorted with a challenging look. 

“There’s no shame in being the second best sports team of the school,” his friend replied. 

“Same goes to you,” Levi bickered back, heading towards the gym while Erwin made his way to the soccer field outside. 

Levi met with his teammates in the gym and exchanged basketball tips until the coach clapped his hands to get their attention. He gave the same pep talk he gave every year and then asked Levi to say a few words as captain of the team. Levi had never liked doing this kind of things, so he always kept his speeches short and concise, getting straight to the point. 

After the speeches, they started the warm up by running a few laps around the gym and then moved on to push ups, squats and abs. When it came to training, the coach was merciless, so the new recruits got easily scared and gave up after the first week, but it wasn’t a problem for Levi. Even during the holidays, he would stick to the training regime, so that when the school year started again he wasn’t out of shape. 

They played a few games divided into two teams and only when it was getting dark outside the coach let them go. They were all exhausted and aching, but Levi liked this feeling. He left the gym with a sense of satisfaction, confident that this year they would be able to win the league again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are appreciated :)


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Here is chapter three, I don't have much to say about it, the story is still Levi centered, you'll have to wait a few more chapters before Levi and Eren have a proper conversation and things will start moving, so for now enjoy some basketball and movie night with Hange and Erwin! :)

If someone asked Levi which was his favourite sound in the world, he would probably say the squeak of training shoes on a wooden floor. Ever since he was a child, Levi had always loved watching basketball games on tv whenever he was alone at home and when he started high school he finally decided to join the basketball team. At first, his teammates didn’t take him seriously since he was rather short to be a basketball player and had never played in a team before, but Levi never skipped a training session and he quickly became one of the best players in the team. He was the point guard, meaning that he was responsible for directing plays and leading the team, and up until now he had never let his teammates down.

He was a good observer and he could detect the other team’s weak spots after a few plays. That’s why now he easily stole the ball from his teammate’s hand and ran to the hoop, successfully throwing it in. 

“You get distracted too easily, Mike,” Levi said, walking back to his teammate, a tall guy with blond hair. 

“I know, you always tell me that,” he replied. 

“And you never listen. C’mon, let’s continue,” Levi said, tossing him the ball and getting ready for another one on one. 

It was a Friday afternoon and they were finally done with classes for the week, which meant that they could train longer than usual and without worrying about homework. The league was starting the following week and they needed to perfection their gameplay and their line-up. There were a few new members in the team that needed to get used to their pace before the season started, so that they could play in official games soon enough. At the start of the year the coach always focused more on the newcomers, so the other players could train more freely and focus on what they wanted to improve. 

Levi and Mike continued their one on one until the coach decided it was time to make the new members play and they were divided into two teams. The new players were quite good, but not enough to be able to keep up with the older members and Levi easily ran past them each time they tried to mark him. They kept playing until the afternoon light was slowly fading away, and the coach sent them to the lockers, telling them to rest during the weekend. It was admirable how he always told them to rest and eat healthily despite the fact that he knew that they weren’t going to listen to him at all. Levi tried, he really did, but insomnia and laziness prevented him from doing either of those things. 

As he was heading towards the changing room, Levi walked past the doors that led outside and saw that the soccer team was still training. He stopped to look at their training and saw Erwin running after Eren that was approaching the goal, but he was too slow and, after dribbling two other players, the brunet scored. A few of his teammates surrounded Eren, patting his back or hugging him, someone even jumped on him, happy for the goal. Soon after their coach blew his whistle, signalling the end of the game and as Levi was about to leave, he saw Eren looking at him with a victorious grin on his face. Levi replied with a glare and went to the lockers; for as much as he didn’t like Eren he had to admit that he was quite good at soccer. 

Once in the lockers, Levi took a shower before changing back into his everyday clothes and as he was exiting the shower stalls with his hair wet and just a towel wrapped around his hips, he heard Eren bickering with someone from his team. As he approached his locker, Levi saw that it was the usual horse-faced guy the brunet constantly argued with. 

“Why are you always so selfish?” the horse-faced was saying. “You could have passed me the ball in the last play, I was completely free.” 

“Shut up, Jean,” Eren said, sitting on the bench to remove his shoes. “We won anyway.” 

“Yeah, but I wanted to score as well,” Jean replied with an annoyed look. 

“Only because you knew Mikasa was watching,” Eren replied before standing up and heading towards the showers. 

“That’s not true,” his teammate muttered, but Eren was already nearing the shower stalls and couldn’t (or didn’t want to) hear him. When he walked past Levi he bumped into him, but this time Levi wasn’t going to let it slide. He turned around with a murderous look on his face and grabbed Eren by his sweaty T-shirt, yanking him down to his eye level. 

“What the fuck is your problem, asshole?” Levi spit in his face. 

Eren didn’t reply as he fixed his gaze on Levi’s lips and then on his still bare torso. Eren’s lips were slightly parted and the green of his eyes was barely visible as his pupils dilated, never removing his gaze from Levi’s body. Levi was now looking at the brunet with confusion in his eyes and when the other boy didn’t reply, he shook him, bringing him back to reality. 

“Let me go,” Eren said, slapping away Levi’s hand and going towards the showers. 

Levi glared at him and turned to go back to his locker, cursing him under his breath. When he walked past Jean, he could see an intimidated look on his face, but he didn’t say anything. Levi finished getting dressed and left the room, still pissed off at Eren’s behaviour. 

As he was opening the door, he bumped into Erwin. 

“Am I going to find a corpse inside one of the lockers?” his friend asked after meeting his gaze. 

“One of these days you might,” Levi replied still pissed off. 

“Was it Eren again?” the blond guy questioned with an exasperated look. 

“That brat is really getting on my nerves. Until now I’ve been able to ignore him, but I’m running out of patience.” 

“Maybe it’s better if I have a word with him,” Erwin said, worried. “Anyway, you’re still coming tonight, right?” he asked, reminding Levi of their movie night. 

“Yeah, don’t worry,” Levi replied, passing a hand on his face, as if he was trying to wipe away his anger. “What are we watching?” 

“Hange said they were bringing a parody of “The Lord of the Rings”,” Erwin said with a smile. 

“Oh God, I hope it’s better than “Vampires suck”.” 

“Anything is better than that movie.” 

“You’re right,” Levi said, scoffing. “See you tonight then,” he added, making his way towards the exit door. 

“See you,” Erwin said, waving at him and entering the changing room. 

During the school months, Levi, Erwin and Hange had a movie night together almost every Friday and ever since Hange had become obsessed with parody movies at the beginning of last year, they would always bring one and force the other two to watch them. Some of those movies were entertaining enough, so Levi didn’t mind watching them, but others were just awful and watching them was pure torture. 

When Levi got home, he made himself a sandwich and a cup of tea before changing into some comfy grey pyjama pants and an old black T-shirt and sat on the sofa. His uncle usually came back home late at night and was gone before Levi woke up, so the teenager had the whole house for himself. 

While he ate the sandwich, he watched a basketball game that was on the sports channel. It wasn’t of his favourite team, the Shinganshina Titans, but he watched it anyway to see if there were any good moves he could use for his own team. His friends often made fun of him for his obsession with basketball, but Levi found it comforting and relaxing, and whenever he was at home, the tv was constantly tuned into the sports channel 

When the game ended, he washed the plate and mug he used and went to his bedroom to do some homework before going out. Even if school had just started, he already had a lot of essays and projects to work on and if he didn’t want to miss any basketball training session or, even worse, games, he couldn’t slack off. 

With the pencil in hand and the book open, Levi started to read the first few lines of a poem he was supposed to comment, but images of Eren kept popping up onto his mind. He couldn’t figure out what Eren really wanted from him. Sure, he was the one that refused him when he wanted to join his team, but there were better candidates than him and he didn’t seem that into basket anyway. Levi understood that he was angry about the rejection, but it had been almost a year ago and Eren still held a grudge against him. 

Before the selection, Levi had never talked to Eren, he had seen him a few times around school, but he had never been interested in talking to him and being friends – which, to be honest, was something that applied to all of the students he saw around. When he had talked to him during the selection he hadn’t struck him as the arrogant type, but after that day the brunet completely changed and became a pain in Levi’s ass; he had definitely left an impression on him then. Luckily, it was Levi’s last year in high school and in a few months’ time he wouldn’t have to worry about the brat anymore. 

Levi quickly abandoned his homework, unable to focus, and concluded that they could wait until tomorrow. Before heading to Erwin’s house, he took another shower and changed into a pair of old jeans and a hoodie. It was pointless to dress up just to watch a movie with his friends. 

Levi’s house wasn’t near Erwin’s, but he decided to walk there anyway as he didn’t have a car and it was a nice evening. He walked for a good fifteen minutes, and when he arrived, he saw Hange’s car already parked in front of Erwin’s house. As he was about to knock, the door opened, and he saw Hange smiling at him. 

“Right on time, Levi,” they said. “Pizza just arrived, and we were only waiting for you start the movie.” 

“From “Scary Movie” to “Vampires suck” how bad is this film?” Levi asked as he entered the house and removed his Converse. 

“Don’t be so pessimistic,” Hange retorted as they made their way to Erwin’s living room at the end of a long corridor. “I’ve read online that it’s pretty good.” 

“We’ll see,” Levi replied, not at all convinced. 

When he entered the living room he saw Erwin crouched in front of the tv, putting the DVD into the DVD player. The room consisted of a couch pushed against the wall next to the door, a dark brown coffee table in front of it and a tv with a DVD and VHS player and a Play Station. There were family portraits and landscape paintings hang on the wall and an entire cabinet full of CDs and DVDs. 

Levi had been into that room more times that he could remember and had never found a speck of dust in it, or something out of place, and this always contributed to the enjoyment of their movie nights. “Hi,” he said, going near Erwin and lightly kicking his behind. 

“Hey, Levi,” Erwin replied turning his head. “It’s all set, we’ve got pizza there on the coffee table, blankets on the sofa and a great movie waiting for us,” he said with a smile and stood up. 

“Let’s get this over with,” Levi said, shaking his head and sitting on the left corner of the sofa. 

Hange sat in the middle of the couch and Erwin to their right. When they were all comfy and with a pizza each, Hange pressed play and started to loudly chew on their pizza. Levi gave them a disgusted look and carefully took a slice of his own pizza, making sure it wasn’t dripping anywhere. 

The movie wasn’t as bad as Levi had expected it to be, but it wasn’t funny either, the jokes were terrible and most of the actors were plain awful. At least the quality of the shots wasn’t as terrible and if it had been mute, the movie would have been rather enjoyable. 

His friends weren’t into it either and after less than twenty minutes Hange decided that they were done with it and started a conversation. 

“So,” they said, turning towards Erwin. “Why did you invite us and not Armin when you have the house free on a Friday night?” 

“I have plans with him for tomorrow” he replied, smiling. “And I really like our movie nights together, even if the movies aren’t always great,” he added, indicating the tv screen that was paused on a closeup of Gollum’s face. 

“I might have to give up on parodies,” Hange said almost dejected. 

“It was better when you were obsessed with mute movies,” Levi retorted. 

“Those were great,” they replied with a dreamy look on their face. “What plans do you have for tomorrow?” they asked Erwin. 

“Urgh,” Levi groaned, rolling his eyes. 

“Don’t be like that,” Hange told him, pushing his shoulder. “You’re just jealous you’re not dating someone too.” 

“I’m not,” Levi replied with a disgusted look. 

“Yes, you are,” Hange retorted with a grin. 

“I’m not interested in dating anyone and even if I was there isn’t anyone I like at school,” Levi deadpanned. 

“Eren looks like your type,” Hange pointed out. 

“Eren is a shitty brat and I don’t date shitty brats,” Levi replied. 

“About that,” Erwin interrupted them. “I talked to Armin about Eren since they’re good friends and he told me he is going through some stuff at home, that’s why he’s angrier than usual.” 

“I don’t care, he can’t vent out his frustration on me,” Levi replied, crossing his arms. “He has friends for that.” 

“I think he likes you,” Hange said, looking at Levi. 

“What?” Levi replied with an incredulous look. 

“Just think about it,” they continued. “He always knows where you are, he finds every excuse to talk to you even if it’s just to insult you and I often notice that he looks at you when you talk to someone else.” 

“That’s bullshit,” Levi replied, frowning. 

“It isn’t.”. 

“Yes, it is,” Levi retorted. 

“I’ll ask Armin about it,” Erwin said, looking interested in the subject. 

“No, you won’t,” Levi quickly said, glaring at him. “Don’t you dare say a word about this bullshit to him.” 

“Why not?” his blond friend asked with a smirk. “I’m curious about it now.” 

“And I want to know if I was right,” Hange said. 

“If you dare say something about it to Armin I swear I’m going to kick you so hard you won’t be able to play soccer again in your life,” Levi said with a menacing glare. 

“Alright, calm down,” Erwin said with his hands up. 

“Good,” Levi said, grabbing the last slice of his pizza and putting an end to that ridiculous conversation. 

They then played some board games, chatting about Erwin’s date, the English literature project they had to do together and ranking the best Marvel’s movies ever made. Hange even suggested they could look for parody movies of Captain America or Iron Man, but they were easily persuaded not to do it, considering the overall failure of their movie choices. 

Erwin had baked a dark chocolate cake with white chocolate chips and nuts on top and they ate half of it while playing “Guess who?”. After the cake, Hange decided it would be a good idea to play “Twister”, so Erwin brought out the game and set it on the floor. Levi offered to be the referee since he always ended up losing because his limbs were too short to reach the whole mat, but he had also reached the full capacity of his stomach and spending the rest of the night cleaning his own vomit didn’t seem like the best way to end their get-together. 

It was already the following day when Hange and Levi left Erwin’s house and Hange offered Levi a ride home which he gladly accepted. Hange wasn’t a safe driver at all, but thankfully there weren’t any cars on the road and Levi made it home all in one piece. 

When he went inside, his uncle was snoring on the sofa with the tv still on, but Levi didn’t bother to turn it off, instead he went to his room and changed into his pyjamas before falling asleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave kudos and comments if you want! :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello guys, how are you? I'm back with a new chapter, I'm nervous/excited about it, things start to move and there's finally an official basketball game. As I already said, my basketball knowledge is very limited and I had to look up a lot of the terms and plays, I even watched a couple of NBA matches for reference, so if I was inaccurate please let me know.
> 
> Also, I finally created a second blog on Tumblr dedicated to Snk, Ereri and my fanfics, so if you want now you can send me messages there as well and ask me whatever you want, here is the [ link ](https://rachel--exe.tumblr.com). 
> 
> Enjoy! :)

As weeks passed by, Levi fell back into his old routine: classes in the morning, lunch with Hange and Erwin, and sometimes Armin as well, and afternoon classes. A couple of times Armin had asked Eren to eat with them when Mikasa, Eren’s sister, wasn’t at school or was eating with her other friends, but the brunet had always declined, refusing to eat lunch at the same table as Levi. Armin had apologised to his senior for his friend’s behaviour, but Levi just shrugged, watching Eren sit with a group of boys. He guessed that Armin wanted to calm things down between him and Eren, but Levi wasn’t sure that his intervention would have helped.

He usually had basketball training three afternoons a week, but since an important game was coming up, the coach made the team train every day after school. The high school league had already started, and the basketball team had won the first three games with less powerful teams, but the big game with their rival was quickly approaching. The coach was making them train harder than ever and they often worked until past the closing time of the school. The two teams had the same points on the league board, so this game was fundamental to put some points of distance between them. Also, the coach hadn’t forgotten that they had lost to them the year before and he took this game as the opportunity to show everyone that they were second to none. 

Levi didn’t mind the new training pace as he used basketball as a way to clear his mind from all thoughts. He just focused on the pain his body was feeling and used it as motivation to improve and do better. He pushed himself to see how far his body could go, but he made sure to never strain himself so that he wouldn’t get injured. It allowed him to focus his attention on just the task at hand, all other worries forgotten, and lately there were two things that always came to his mind. 

The first one was college. For as much as he told himself he still had a bit of time before enrolling at college, every day that passed he felt always more anxious and pressured. A lot of seniors had already chosen one or two colleges they would like to enrol at and hearing them talk about it put pressure on Levi. Hell, he didn’t even know whether he’d like to continue studying or not! A few of his teammates had already decided, but theirs wasn’t a voluntary decision, it was more their parents forcing them to go to college in order to get a good job later on in life, but for Levi it was different. His uncle barely asked him questions about school or his hobbies and had never mentioned anything about his future, so Levi had no one to help him with this tough decision. 

The other thing that kept popping onto his mind was Eren. Despite everything, what Hange told him at Erwin’s still played in his mind and he was starting to wonder if they were right or not. For as much as he hated to admit it, they were really good at reading people, an art that Levi had never mastered. However, this time he couldn’t believe that Hange were right, considering that Eren had been targeting Levi and the basketball team more than usual during the week. 

“I think we’re going to be the best sports team of the school this year as well,” Eren had told one of his teammates, a bold guy, when they were changing in the lockers a few days before. 

“I hope so,” his friend replied. “Thanks to that I became more popular with the girls.” 

“I mean, the basketball team isn’t as good as it used to be,” Eren continued while he was rummaging through his locker. “Some of its players are really bad, I don’t even know why they’re in the team.” 

Levi was trying his best to ignore the brunet, carefully folding his clothes before placing them inside his locker, but he wasn’t born with a lot of patience, especially when someone was insulting his team without knowing all the hard work they put into it. 

“What the fuck are you saying?” he said, glaring at Eren. 

“The truth, loser,” the brunet replied with a challenging look. “You barely won the first games and your opponents were weak as fuck. I’m sure you’ll lose next time.” 

“Do you ever use your fucking brain before you talk or were you born without it?” Levi said, getting angrier. “You’re pissed off that you didn’t join my team, I get it, but just get over it, for fuck’s sake. You’re really starting to get on my nerves.” 

“I’m glad I didn’t join your shitty team of losers,” Eren responded, getting closer to Levi. 

“C’mon, Eren, there’s no need to be offensive,” Eren’s teammate said, putting a hand on his shoulder. 

“Let me go, Connie,” Eren said, pulling away from him and moving closer to Levi. They were mere inches apart and the tension in the locker was so heavy that nobody dared to get between them. They stared at each other, clenching their fists, and Levi would have gladly punched Eren’s face if in that moment the door hadn’t opened. 

“What are you doing?” Erwin asked, entering the changing room. 

“They’re about to kill each other, captain,” Connie said with a scared look on his face. 

“Guys?” Erwin said, getting between the two. 

Levi was the first to break the eye contact and, looking at Erwin, he had said: 

“Next time this asshole says something to me, you’ll be short of one player.” 

“We already had this talk, Eren,” Erwin said, looking at the brunet. 

“I don’t give a fuck,” he replied, going back to his locker. “I’ll still celebrate when they’ll lose next week.” 

“Eren!” Erwin scolded him, but the boy wasn’t listening. 

“I’m going before I kill him,” Levi said, slamming his locker shut and leaving the room to go to the gym. 

After that day, Eren didn’t talk to him directly, but whenever he saw Levi he would throw angry glances at him and Levi could almost hear all the curses that were running through Eren’s brain. Levi was now fully responding to his provocations, unable to ignore him as he used to do. Their argument only served to put more fire into Levi who was training harder than usual, studying different plays and helping his teammates to improve. He needed to win the approaching game to prove Eren how wrong he was. 

After a week of hard training, the big day finally arrived and as Levi entered the gym he saw that the stands were completely full. There were banners of both teams on the walls and people were loudly chatting, singing the high school hymns and blowing whistles. There were a lot of students and parents from his high school, but there were also a lot of people that came to support the other team and they could be easily recognised by the bright orange sweater they were wearing, matching the colour of their team’s uniform. 

As he scanned the stands, Levi spotted Eren sat with Armin and Mikasa. Their eyes met, and Levi replied to Eren’s scornful glare with a confident smirk, he was going to teach him what it meant to be a good player. Next to Armin there were also Erwin and Hange and as soon as they saw him they waved and raised their thumbs in a sign of encouragement. Hange were wearing the team’s sweater with Levi’s number on it while Erwin had only the scarf loose around his neck. 

There was a familiar knot in Levi’s stomach, but Levi ignored it, confident in his skills. He knew he and his teammates had trained as hard as they could, and they were ready to face the challenge. During the years Levi had come to trust his teammates always more and when it came to basketball he knew that team play was fundamental to win. When it came to everyday life, Levi preferred to handle things by himself, more than capable to face every situation alone, but in basketball he needed to rely on other people and gain their trust to establish a good chemistry that would allow them to be the winners. 

Before the game started, he and his teammates warmed up and then gathered around the coach to quickly go over their strategy once again. They all knew it by heart already and had practiced it countless times, but it was a sort of ritual they did before starting every game. When the siren signalling the beginning of the game went off, the two teams lined up on the boundary line and the speaker introduced the ten players and their coaches. Levi knew most of the players in the other team and had played against them multiple times, so he knew all their strong and weak points. They then proceeded to take their position on the court, Mike and another tall player from the opposite team on the centre ring, and once they were ready the referee blew his whistle, throwing the ball into the air in the half-court. Mike and the other player leapt up to tap the ball away and when the ball fell near Levi, he quickly took it and dribbled past two opponents before passing it one of his teammates, Oluo. 

The opposite team set a man-to-man defence where every member of the home team was being marked, unable to make a move without being blocked. Oluo bounced the ball, faking a pass to his right, but the other player saw through it and successfully blocked him, almost stealing the ball. Levi got to rid of the player marking him by looping around him and ran ahead towards the basket. His teammate noticed him and passed him the ball, causing the opponents’ formation to break. There were now two players running after him, but Levi was faster and crossed the court in a few seconds. He was forced to stop in his tracks when a player from the defence caught up to him and prevented him from throwing the ball into the hoop. Levi looked around to see the position of his teammates that were now inside the three-point line. He faked a pass to his left, but instead made an alley-oop that Mike dunked in the hoop. 

When they scored, the people on the stands stood up with a roar and cheered for the first point of the game. Levi celebrated as well, patting his teammate on the back. He threw a quick glance to the people cheering and, catching sight of Eren still sat on his seat, he proudly smiled. Seeing Eren there light something inside of him and Levi felt more fired up to win the game. 

It was a tight game between the two teams and at half-time they were only two points apart. During the break, the coach gave them a few tips and Levi set up an offensive strategy with his teammates, deciding it was better to take some risks instead of staying on the defence. They knew the second half was going to be harder than the first one because their opponents were going to play at full strength in order to win, but they weren’t going to back down now. 

When the game started again Levi carried out his strategy, taking advantage of his speed and height to dribble past his opponents and help his teammates score. He could never let his guard down and always had to have under control the position of the players on the court. All his senses were focused on what was happening on the rectangular floor, the rest of the gym just background noise. 

As the game was coming to an end the score was tied. The other team was all concentrated under the home team basket, but in the last fifteen seconds they missed a pass, giving Levi the opportunity to steal the ball from them. The only thought on his mind was to reach the side of the court to throw the ball into the hoop, but as he was nearing his destination, he was blocked by a tall player. Without a second thought he made a pass to Oluo that was backing him up and that scored from outside of the three-point arc, signalling the victory of his team. 

The whole gym burst out in a loud roar and people were coming down from the stands to hug and congratulate the players. Levi was soon surrounded by Hange’s arms that hugged him and picked him up from the floor. 

“Well done, Levi,” they exclaimed, squeezing him tighter and spinning around. 

“Let me go, shitty-glasses,” Levi said, smacking them on the shoulder, but he was smiling too. 

Erwin and Armin had reached them as well, both smiling, and when Hange let Levi go they congratulated him. Levi looked around the gym and saw Eren standing near the exit door with Mikasa. He wasn’t looking his way, so Levi couldn’t make out the look on his face, but he was glad he had been there to see how good his team was. 

“You’re all invited to my house to celebrate the victory,” Hange shouted, addressing all the people around them. 

Levi gave them a questioning look, he didn’t know anything about it. 

“I knew that you weren’t going to let me down, so I organised a celebratory party at my house,” they explained with a smile. 

“You’re crazy,” Levi told them. 

“I know. Now go change and meet us at my place,” they said, turning him around in the direction of the lockers. 

Levi shook his head in disbelief and made his way towards the changing room. It took him a good ten minutes to reach it as almost everyone he met stopped him to congratulate him and exchange a few words. He tried to keep the conversations as short as possible, but for once he didn’t mind talking to other people, too happy for the victory. 

By the time he arrived at the party, there were already a lot of drunk people on the front yard of Hange’s house. The whole place was packed with people that cheered when Levi went in and someone even called him a hero. He nodded in acknowledgement and made his way towards his group of friends. 

“There he is,” Hange said as they saw him entering the kitchen. They had a red plastic cup in their hands and sounded already half drunk. 

“How much did they drink already?” Levi asked Erwin as he stood next to him. 

“Half a cup of beer,” his friend replied, chuckling. 

“I figured,” he said. After going to a few parties with Hange he knew that his friend couldn’t handle alcohol at all. 

He chatted with Erwin, drinking some beers and making sure Hange didn’t do anything stupid. When Armin arrived he excused himself, saying that he needed the bathroom, and made his way through the living room to reach the stairs that led upstairs to where the bathroom was. 

On his way there he recognised a couple of soccer players sat on Hange’s sofa playing truth or dare. When they saw him they invited him to play, but he refused and went up the stairs, avoiding eye contact with anyone he saw, in case they wanted to talk to him as well. He didn’t mind when people praised him after a game, but for one night he had had enough human interaction. 

The atmosphere of the second floor was a lot quieter and the air wasn’t as heavy with alcohol fumes as downstairs. When he turned the corner of the corridor that led to the bathroom, Levi saw Eren standing next to door, apparently waiting for his turn, and Levi leaned on the wall in front of him to wait as well. 

He was surprised to see Eren there, he didn’t expect the brunet to come to a celebratory party after insulting the basketball team during the week. Levi didn’t really care about Eren’s reason to be there, he was feeling really proud of the victory and he decided to rub it in Eren’s face. He was sure the brunet was aware of the risk he was taking when he entered Hange’s house. 

“Here to celebrate our victory?” Levi asked with a grin. 

“Armin dragged me here,” Eren replied, looking at the wall above Levi’s face. “And you just got lucky,” he added. 

“We were great,” Levi said smugly. 

“You still messed up some plays,” Eren retorted, looking at him. 

“I know, but we’ll improve,” Levi replied, shrugging. 

“Mike gets distracted too often and Oluo always bites his tongue when he runs,” Eren continued. 

“I know, I always tell them,” Levi retorted. 

“Erd and Gunther run out of breath too quickly,” the brunet went on listing the flaws of the basketball players. 

“And what about me?” Levi asked, raising one eyebrow. 

Eren didn’t reply immediately, instead he averted his eyes and a faint blush appeared on his face. Levi blamed the alcohol for that and crossed his arms, waiting for Eren’s reply. As the brunet was about to say something the bathroom door opened and muttering something Levi couldn’t understand he quickly went in, closing the door shut behind him. 

Levi couldn’t help but feel like he had a little victory over Eren and when the brunet came out of the bathroom he grinned at him with superiority and a strange sensation filled his gut when he met the brunet’s eyes. 

He spent the rest of the night with his friends, having a couple of celebratory drinks, and enjoying himself. He saw Eren a few more times and every time they made eye contact he made sure to grin at him. He didn’t know why, but his eyes were constantly searching the crowd, looking for Eren and whenever he spotted him, his stomach twisted. He didn’t give much importance to it and simply blamed his sickness on the alcohol and his need show off. It felt really good to know that he had won one of the most important games of the whole season and that Eren had been there to see it and realise how wrong he had been this whole time.

Levi remained at the party until the sun was almost rising and then headed back home still thinking about Eren. 


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! It's that day of the week again where I subject you to this fic :)  
> Just a few things before you read:   
> 1\. In this fic Facebook is still relevant and Levi uses it a few times.   
> 2\. I wrote this chapter when the new Marvel movie had just come out, so that's the one I'm implying here.   
> 3\. I might upload the next chapter a bit later than usual, the fic is taking a slightly different turn from when I originally wrote it and I need to make some changes. I'm also writing a one shot that it's taking up a lot of my time and I would like to finish it as soon as possible so that I can get back to fully concentrate on this fic :)  
> That's it for this week, please enjoy! :)

As the semester went on, Levi had increasingly more assignments and projects to do, especially for his biology class. The teacher wanted them to work by themselves and then do presentations in class, which was really annoying if you asked Levi. He didn’t really like biology, or anything that was even remotely related to science, but thankfully, Hange did, so he always ended up getting a good grade.

A Saturday afternoon he and Hange met at his house to finish the biology project due to the following week. Hange had brought a dozen books that were all open on Levi’s bedroom floor and as they dug up information, Levi wrote them down on his pc to then organise them better. The process was slow and tedious, mainly because Hange didn’t seem to care that they needed to finish the project as soon as possible and whenever they read something that they were interested in, they went on a tangent and never stopped blabbing about it. 

They kept working until it was late in the afternoon and then took a break. They moved to the kitchen where Levi made a cup of tea for himself and a cup of coffee for Hange. Rummaging through the cupboards, Hange found a packet of dark chocolate cookies that Levi usually ate for breakfast and opened it. Levi glared at them, but they just shrugged and replied with a mouthful of food: 

“I’m hungry.” 

Levi had a secret stash of different kinds of cookies hidden in his bedroom, so he let his friend eat those ones while he finished making the drinks. He set the two cups on the kitchen table and sat on his usual chair near the window while Hange sat opposite him, cookies still in hand. 

“Have you decided what to do when high school finishes?” Hange asked as they waited for the coffee to cool down. 

“Not really,” Levi replied with a huff, wrapping his hands around his warm mug. “I’m not sure about what I want to do in the future, so choosing something now seems pointless.” 

“Have you tried talking to the school counselor?” Hange said. 

“Mr. Pixis doesn’t even know what he’s doing with his own life, I doubt he’ll be able to help me,” Levi replied. “Plus, he’s always drinking from a suspicious flask, I don’t trust him” 

“Mr. Pixis retired, there’s a new counselor this year,” Hange informed him. “I went to see her last week and it was really helpful, she showed me the colleges that would work best for me, how they assign scholarships and just general information about campuses and stuff.” 

“I’ll think about it,” Levi said, not at all convinced. “What college did you choose?” 

“I haven’t decided yet, but I know I want to study something that is science related,” they replied, taking a cookie from the packet and stuffing it into their mouth. 

“I figured,” Levi said and drank his tea. 

They stayed silent for a moment, drinking and eating the food. 

“Are you going to the soccer game next week?” Hange asked once they finished their coffee. “Erwin told me it’s an important one.” 

“Yeah, I know,” Levi replied. “I guess I’ll go, my game is on Saturday anyway.” 

“We’re going together then,” Hange said with a grin. “I heard that Eren isn’t paying too well lately.” 

“Too bad for him,” Levi replied, drinking the last drops of his tea. After Hange’s party the relationship between him and Eren had changed, shifting from unconditional hate to simply ignoring each other. Eren had stop insulting him, but Levi still noticed him looking at him from time to time. Even Levi’s attitude towards the boy had changed. Now that Eren wasn’t an annoying brat as before he didn’t mind seeing him around and having to train in the same hours didn’t bother him as much anymore. 

“C’mon, Levi, don’t be so cold,” Hange said. “He even came to my party when you won and, trust me, he kept staring at you the whole time.” 

“He wished he was as good as me,” Levi replied, eating a cookie. 

“I think he secretly looks up to you,” his friend retorted. 

“Whatever, I don’t care,” Levi said, grabbing the empty packet of cookies and standing up from the chair. “Next year I’ll graduate and hopefully I’ll never see him for the rest of my life. C’mon, let’s finish that assignment,” he added, gabbing the cups and putting them in the sink. 

They worked a bit faster after the break and by dinner time, when Hange had to leave, they already had a good first draft of their presentation. They would have to finish it during the week, but for now it was a good start.

Once he was alone, Levi went to the kitchen and started cooking dinner. He decided to make a simple pasta with tomato sauce and while he was preparing all the ingredients, he kept thinking about college and the counselor. Levi had never had someone to guide him through these life changing decisions, so he had always chosen what he liked best, regardless of what other people might have said. This time, however, it was one of the most important decisions in his life and he thought that maybe it was best to choose something that would grant him a stable economic situation in the future, even if it wasn’t something he was crazy about. He had previously thought about studying law or medicine, but the sole thought of having to remember all those incomprehensible names and boring laws made him want to smash his head against a wall. The only subject he truly enjoyed was English, but what did you do with an English degree? A few times he had pondered about becoming a professional basketball player. He enjoyed playing basketball at an amateur level, but he wasn’t sure he would have liked to play at higher levels where the pressure and the expectations were a lot higher. 

Overall, he concluded that perhaps it was a good idea to talk to the counselor and have someone else’s opinion on the matter, especially if guiding young students with extremely confused minds was their job. 

Once he finished cooking the pasta, he sat on the sofa and watched a basketball game, this time his favourite team was playing. As always, Levi studied the match, memorising the good plays and the mistakes that both teams made. 

When the game was almost over, he heard a car pull into the front yard and soon after his uncle entered the door. He looked at him and nodded as a way to greet him. Levi nodded back and continued to watch the game. He heard his uncle opening the fridge and some cupboards before going back to the living room. He sat on an armchair in the corner of the room with a beer and some snacks in hand and watched the TV while eating. The game had ended, and Levi was now watching the interviews with the winners that were the players of his favourite team. Once the interviews were over, he stood up and gave the remoter to his uncle. 

“’Night, Kenny,” he said. 

“’Night, kid,” the uncle replied. 

Levi didn’t resent his uncle for not being present in his life. He had been angry at him when he was younger, but then he grew used to the absence and as long as he gave him money to buy food and supplies he didn’t mind being alone. It was probably because of this arrangement that Levi had learned to do everything by himself and was now fully capable of handling any kind of situation without asking someone else to help him. 

Levi went to his room and after changing into a pair of pyjamas, he browsed the internet for a bit. While he was on Facebook he saw that Armin had posted a picture of him with Eren and Mikasa inside a movie theatre, the three of them had 3D glasses and Marvel themed sweaters. He stared at Eren that had a big smile and seemed genuinely happy with his friends. Looking at him in a picture, Levi couldn’t believe that he was the same asshole that had annoyed him every day at school. Eren looked like the typical nice guy that helped old grandmas to cross the road and if Levi hadn’t known how the brunet was really like, he might have made a move on him months ago. When he first talked to him during the selections the previous year, he had been struck by Eren’s beautiful eyes and his opinion was still the same. However, once Eren showed him his true colours his interest in the brunet faded away; there was no way in hell he would ever be with a jerk like Eren Jeager. 

The following week was full of tests, presentations and essays, so Levi didn’t get a chance to go to the counselor’s office. The basketball training took up all his spare time and Levi barely had enough time to sleep. Finally, Friday arrived, and he made plans with Hange to meet before the soccer game and watch it together. Erwin had been nervous about this game for weeks, he had been training like crazy every day, and they never got to see him outside of school. 

Levi and Hange agreed to meet at the school gate and as always Levi was the first to arrive. He leaned against the wall and took out his phone to play with an app while waiting for his friend. After a few minutes, a car stopped a couple of meters from him and Eren got out from the passenger seat. As the brunet passed by him to enter the school building he didn’t even look at him, but Levi noticed that his hair was haphazardly tied up in a bun messier than usual and he had dark circles under his eyes. He felt almost sorry for him and he was starting to wonder what was wrong with him when Hange arrived. 

“Hi, Levi,” they said. “Ready cheer?” they added showing the air horns they had brought. They were wearing the soccer team’s T-shirt with Erwin’s name on it that their friend had given them last year. They also had a soccer ball painted on a cheek and the school logo on the other. 

“If you blow those in my ear I swear I’ll shove them up your ass,” Levi said looking at the horns. Hange had already done it before and he hadn’t been able to hear anything for an entire day. 

“Don’t be a party pooper,” Hange replied, tentatively blowing one of the horns. 

Levi gave them a murderous glare and then headed towards the soccer field, leaving them behind. Hange followed him and when they arrived at the stands they saw that they were almost full. They managed to find two seats at the top so that they could see the entire field perfectly. Other people around them had air horns similar to the ones Hange had and wore T-shirts with the names of various soccer players on them. Levi spotted Armin and Mikasa in the first row respectively wearing a T-shirt with Erwin’s and Eren’s name on it. 

Soon after Levi and Hange had sat, the teams entered the field and the crowd started to cheer, blowing those hell sent horns and encouraging the players. 

“Go Titans!” Hange shouted, standing from their seat. 

The game started and for the first ten minutes it was a fair game with both teams playing equally well. Erwin was playing especially well, and he had managed to steal the ball from his opponents a couple of times, but it was clear that Eren had his mind somewhere else. Eren played as the striker so his job was to score goals or help other players score, but he rarely got to the goal in time. He wasn’t paying much attention to what was happening on the field and when someone from his team passed him the ball, he easily lost it, giving the opponents the chance for a counter attack. 

Erwin and his teammates did all they could to balance the team, hoping that Eren would get his head on straight, however that never happened and at one point, Eren even committed a foul on one of the opponents that fell to the ground holding his shin. The referee decided it was worth a yellow card and gave a free kick to the other team. Everyone on Eren’s team protested against the decision, but the referee didn’t back down and the action following the free kick led to a goal from the opponents. 

After the goal it was clear that Eren’s teammates didn’t want him in the game anymore and they rarely passed him a ball. They were just waiting for the coach to substitute him. However, that didn’t happen and thirty-five minutes into the game, Eren was still playing, or at least running up and down the field. 

“I’m going to take a piss,” Levi told Hange after another terrible action of his high school team. 

“Yeah,” his friend replied, not even looking at him as they were absorbed in the game. 

Levi went to the bathroom in the locker room because it was closer to the field and as he was washing his hands after using the toiler, he heard a loud bang and someone saying “Shit!”. 

He quickly dried his hands and when he went towards the lockers he saw that one of them had a dent on it. Sat in front of the dented locker there was Eren, bent in half and with his head between his hands, pulling at his hair. 

“What happened here?” Levi asked, getting closer to the brunet. 

Eren jolted and turned his head with a horrified look and Levi noticed that he had watery eyes. 

“Why are you here?” Eren asked, ignoring Levi’s question. 

“I needed the toilet,” Levi replied, crossing his arms. “Why are _you _here?”__

__“The coach substituted me,” Eren said, looking at the ground._ _

__“And you decided to take it out on the locker?” Levi asked with a raised eyebrow._ _

__“It isn’t just for that,” Eren said, letting out a long breath and looking at the ceiling. He had a desperate look on his face and Levi saw that his eyes were waterier than before._ _

__“Is there something wrong?” Levi asked, furrowing his brows. He would have never thought he would ask Eren this, but the boy looked like he just wanted to never have been born._ _

__Eren looked at him and shook his head._ _

__“Why would I tell you that?” he said. “You hate me.”_ _

__Levi rolled his eyes. “I don’t hate you, Eren,” he said. “I wasn’t the one to start this stupid feud between us.”_ _

__“I know,” Eren said, looking at Levi. Eren’s eyes reflected an interior struggle, as if a storm was raging inside of him, but after a brief moment it was all gone, and it was like the sun had come out. His features softened, and he was looking at Levi with a new-found determination._ _

__“I’m sorry,” Eren said. “I guess I’ve been an asshole to you for almost a year.”_ _

__“Yeah, you can say that,” Levi replied._ _

__“I hope we can put all of that behind and start from scratch,” Eren said and one of the corners of his mouth timidly lifted._ _

__“I guess,” Levi said, shrugging. For some reason he didn’t find it in himself to deny Eren when he looked so hopeful._ _

__They remained silent for a few seconds and as Eren was about to say something they heard the whistle of the referee signalling the end of the first half._ _

__“I’m going back before the rest of the team comes in,” Levi said. “See ya.”_ _

__“Bye, Levi,” Eren replied as Levi was leaving the lockers._ _

__Levi’s mind was blank while he was walking to the stands and when he sat down he was still processing what had just happened in the lockers._ _

__“Where have you been?” Hange said as he sat down. “You missed so many things! Eren was substituted, the other team scored again, and the coach was almost expelled for insulting the referee.”_ _

__“The game was pretty boring, so I took my time,” Levi replied._ _

__“Wait, in which bathroom did you go?” Hange asked, eyeing him suspiciously._ _

__“In the one in the changing room,” he replied, regretting it immediately as he saw Hange almost beaming and grinning._ _

__“You saw Eren, then, didn’t you?” they said._ _

__“I didn’t,” Levi lied, looking at the now empty field._ _

__“You did!” Hange said. “Did you take this long because you guys were making out?”_ _

__“No!” Levi said, horrified looking at his friend._ _

__“So you did see Eren,” Hange pointed out._ _

__“Fine, I did,” Levi admitted. “But we didn’t do anything, you pervert. We just cleared some things out.”_ _

__“Did he confess his love to you?” Hange said._ _

__“Are you still going on with this stupid thing?” Levi asked exasperated. “He doesn’t like me, and I don’t like him, so stop spouting nonsense.”_ _

__“Fine,” Hange said. “Look, the second half is about to start,” they added, pointing at the players that were coming out onto the field again._ _

__The second half was dominated by the opponents that scored two more goals, but Levi couldn’t seem to focus on the game. His mind was replaying what happened before. First the look Eren had on his face when Levi found him sitting on the bench, as if he was praying to never have been born. Then the battle portrayed in his eyes and the sudden change in his attitude, followed by his wish to start from scratch with Levi. It was all so confusing that Levi didn’t know what to think._ _

__What Hange told him still ringed in his ears and he found it suspicious how easily Eren had apologised to him. If he had really held such a grudge against him, he would have never given up so quickly. Yet he did. Ever since Hange told him that the brunet always looked at him, Levi had been noticing it too. Whenever he looked at Eren the boy was already watching him, and his eyes reflected a longing Levi could only describe as desire. He didn’t know if Hange’s suppositions were true, but ever since that evening at Erwin’s, he was getting more and more convinced that they were right. It would also explain Eren’s want to stay in Levi’s life, despite the fact that until a few weeks before he hated him._ _

__Lost in his thoughts, Levi didn’t see that the game had ended until he heard Hange complain beside him._ _

__“We lost,” they said dejected._ _

__Looking at the field he saw that the score was in favour of the opposite team and, despite everything, he couldn’t help but think that if Eren had been in good shape his school would have definitely won._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos are appreciated :)  
> [ Tumblr ](https://rachel--exe.tumblr.com/)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello again! :)  
> I managed to edit this chapter in time for today as I released the one shot I'd been writing for weeks yesterday (check it out if you want), but I don't know how to feel about it. I wouldn't say that it's bad but it feels a bit all over the place and as confused as Levi's feelings, so please tell me what to think about it because I've read it so many times that it doesn't make sense to me anymore.   
> I also want to give a special thanks to the people that always comment on the chapters, it's really encouraging to know that there is someone that likes this fic, and I always think about you when I post these chapters, you're the best <3 <3 
> 
>  That being said, thanks for reading and please enjoy! :)

The following week Eren didn’t come to school.

Levi was unconsciously looking for the brunet the entire day, expecting him to pop out from around a corner or walk in the corridors with his friends. Ever since the soccer game, he couldn’t stop thinking about him. Eren filled his thoughts during the whole weekend and more than once Levi found himself wondering what was going on in Eren’s life. What pushed him to apologise to him? The days before the soccer game had gone by as usual and it had been a while since Eren had said anything to Levi, so why now? The question that popped onto Levi’s mind even more frequently, though, was why Eren wanted to become his friend. He had resolved that that was Eren’s intention, but Levi couldn’t understand the reason behind him. 

All these questions crossed Levi’s mind regularly, whether he was doing his homework or watching a basketball game on TV, Eren seemed to always be on his mind. 

And it bothered him.

Up until now he had pretended that he didn’t know what was going on inside of him or just found some excuse for the weird way he always felt when Eren was around or someone mentioned him, but Eren’s presence was always constant on his mind and even if he was by no means an expert in love related things, he knew that something had shifted in the way he felt towards Eren, but he didn’t know in which direction and how much. He also wondered if that was the reason why he hadn’t been able to turn Eren down when he asked him to start from scratch, but his feelings were so confused and Hange’s words had affected him in such a way that he didn’t know what to think anymore. 

He tried to push those thoughts as far into his mind as possible and deny even the smallest amount of interest he had in Eren, but when he didn’t see the brunet at school on Monday he felt like something was missing. Erwin didn’t tell him anything about Eren’s absence and Levi didn’t want to ask. He pretended that the strange sensation he felt in his gut didn’t mean anything and that it didn’t matter if he saw Eren or not. It was easier to deny than to give in. 

At lunch he was sat at a table with Hange, Erwin and Armin that now ate with them almost every day. They were keeping the conversation as far away from last weekend’s game as possible. There was still time to regain the lost points, but the loss had a big impact on the balance of the team. Erwin had told Levi that after the game ended a lot of players blamed Eren for the loss and the brunet lost control and almost had a fight with two teammates in the lockers. Luckily, the coach intervened, so nothing really happened, but the trust between Eren and the other players had broken, and it would definitely affect their future games. 

“I almost forgot,” Armin said, looking at Erwin, food already finished and ready to leave. “Eren isn’t coming to soccer training for the next few days.” 

“Is there something wrong?” Erwin asked concerned. 

“He has some things to sort out at home, so he’s taking the week off,” Armin replied. 

“It’s fine,” Erwin said. “Tell him we’ll wait for him and no one of us is mad at him.” 

Armin smiled at him and laced his fingers with Erwin’s. Levi rolled his eyes at the gesture, feigning indifference towards what Armin just told them. 

“You two are so cute together,” Hange said. “Right, Levi?” 

“I feel like I’m going to throw up,” Levi replied. 

“You’re just jealous,” Hange said, shoving his shoulder. “I know that secretly you’re a total sap.” 

“I’m not,” Levi replied with a disgusted look. 

“Now that I think of it I’ve never seen you dating someone,” Erwin said, thoughtful. 

“There is no one worth dating,” Levi simply replied. 

“Are you sure?” Hange said with a knowing look. 

Levi glared at them, but Hange just grinned and Levi knew that they were about to say something stupid. 

“Is Eren single?” they asked Armin and as soon as the words were out Levi kicked them under the table. 

Armin was taken aback by the question, but after a moment of confusion he replied: 

“Yes, but I know he has someone he likes.” 

“Who?” Hange asked excited. 

“It’s a secret,” Armin said, sticking out his tongue. 

“But I want to know,” Hange whined. 

“I can’t tell you,” Armin said, glancing at Levi who had been staring at them the whole time, afraid that Hange might say something stupid about him and Eren as per usual. 

Levi didn’t know what to think anymore. His feelings towards Eren were a mess and he didn’t know how to deal with them. It had been a lot easier when the brunet pestered him every day and Levi didn’t suspect anything about Eren’s real feelings or his own. Now Hange’s theories were getting a lot more believable and Levi didn’t know how to react. His stomach twisted every time someone mentioned Eren, but he didn’t know if his feelings were real or if it was just a flimsy emotion caused by Hange’s influence. Levi barely knew Eren, so it was impossible for him to say that he liked him, sure, he thought that the brunet was incredibly attractive, but that was it. 

Levi groaned, frustrated and confused, and picked up his tray before standing up from his seat. The other three looked at him puzzled and then eyed each other. Hange had a suspiciously satisfied grin on their face. 

The week went on and Eren still hadn’t come to school. Levi knew that the brunet was skipping soccer training for the entire week, but he didn’t know if he was skipping classes as well or just the training because of what had happened the weekend before. Levi felt always more distressed, but luckily he had something else to take his mind off of Eren. In fact, on Wednesday he had a free hour and he decided to visit the counsellor’s office. 

When he arrived at the door with the name Ms. Ral on it he knocked and, after a voice told him to go in, he entered. 

As he went it he noticed that the room wasn’t too big but looked spacious because of how orderly it was and seeing everything so neat and in its place calmed Levi’s nerves. There was a desk right in the middle of the room and some shelves on the walls with books and brochures on them. On the left there was a big window with the blinders down and next to it a house plant with big green leaves. Sat at the desk there was a young woman with blond hair and a gentle smile that invited Levi to sit. 

“What can I do for you, Levi?” she asked after the teenager had sat opposite her. 

“A friend told me you helped them choose some colleges and I was wondering if you could help me as well,” Levi replied, looking at the various leaflets on the desk. 

“Sure, it’s my job,” the woman replied. “Do you have something in mind?” 

“Actually, I’m not sure what I want to study in college,” Levi retorted. “I’m not even sure that I want to go to college, but since I don’t know what else I would do, I thought I could give it a shot.” 

“What would you like to do in the future?” the woman asked, resting her head on one hand. 

“I don’t know, I like English and literature in general, but an English degree seems useless,” Levi said shrugging his shoulders. 

“I have an English degree,” Ms. Ral replied, straightening her head. 

Levi felt himself blush for the embarrassment and quickly corrected himself: 

“I didn’t mean it in a negative way, it’s just that there are a lot of things you could do with that degree that it’s hard to choose.” 

“I felt the same way when I entered college, classes weren’t as specific as in other faculties and until you choose a career path you end up studying general things, but once you decide what you might like to do it makes a lot more sense.” 

“I guess,” Levi said, still as confused as he came in. 

“Would you like to become a teacher?” the woman asked him. 

“Not really, I kind of hate people,” Levi honestly replied. 

“Alright,” the woman said chuckling. “What about journalism? It could be interesting.” 

“I’m not interested in politics or economics,” Levi retorted. 

“There are various kinds of journalists. Don’t you play basketball?” the woman questioned. 

“Yes,” Levi replied, confused by the change of topic. 

“You could become a basketball reporter for a sports magazine or for a Tv channel,” the woman suggested. “Or you could even become a sports caster,” she added. 

As soon as Ms. Ral suggested the idea, Levi’s eyes sparkled. The thought had never even crossed his mind, but he instantly knew it would be perfect for him. He was a basketball expert and he had watched enough games on Tv to know how to be a good sports caster. 

“I see you like the idea,” the woman said, smiling. 

“I’ve never thought about it, but I think I’d enjoy it,” Levi replied. 

“Should we look for a college you like?” Ms. Ral said, opening a drawer to take out more brochures. 

They searched for different colleges that offered what Levi was looking for and that also had a basketball team for him to continue playing. Ms. Ral told him that he could get a sports scholarship if he kept working hard and said that she would contact some colleges to scout him. Among the colleges they checked there was also the university that had scouted a lot of his favourite players, Shinganshina University, and it would have been a dream for Levi to be able to be part of the same team they used to play in. Even if his end goal wasn’t to become a professional player, Levi was thrilled at the idea of playing for such a powerful team and maybe even meet his idols someday. There were also other colleges that offered good sports scholarships and he would take them into consideration as well, but Shinganshina University was his first choice. Levi felt incredibly happy and relieved to finally have a goal in his life and, even if he had to work twice as hard as he did before, he was willing to do it. 

When he left the counsellor’s office he saw the world in a different perspective and he felt more motivated to train and study. Knowing he was finally heading somewhere gave him a new sense of purpose and he wasn’t as scared as before of finishing high school and having to work somewhere he hated, waiting for some random great opportunity to find him. Now he was in charge of his own life and he would have done anything to achieve his new-found dream. 

When he saw Hange in the biology lab, he still had a smile on his lips and he was eager to share the new piece of information with them. 

“I went to the counsellor,” he said, sitting next to them. 

“And?” his friend said with an excited smile. 

“It was a good idea, I figured out what I want to do next year,” Levi replied, unable to hide his smile. 

“That’s great, Levi,” Hange said, smiling. “See? You should always listen to me. So, what’s the verdict?” 

“I’m going to study journalism and become a basketball reporter,” Levi replied with a proud smile. 

“Oh my God, why haven’t I thought about it before?” Hange said, smacking their forehead. “That’s perfect for you!” 

“I know. Now I just have to visit some colleges and decide which one works best for me.” 

“I’m sure you’ll find something,” Hange said. “I’m so happy for you,” they added, hugging him. “Now you just need to find your soulmate and your life will be complete.” 

“I don’t,” Levi replied, trying to escape his friend’s embrace. “I’m fine by myself.”

He had managed to clear his mind from these kinds of thoughts for the entire afternoon and now Hange just had to remind him of that. 

“I know I’m always loud and all over the place, but I’m also very observant and I see how you look at Erwin and Armin,” they said, releasing Levi from their grip and looking at him in the eye. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Levi replied, averting his gaze. 

“I know you do and you also know there is someone you like,” Hange retorted. 

“Again with this story,” Levi said, huffing. “Let’s make things clear: Eren doesn’t like me, it’s just a stupid idea you have, and even if he did I don’t know if I like him or if it’s just your stupidity that’s rubbing off on me.” 

“So you do like Eren!” Hange exclaimed way too loudly for Levi’s licking. 

“Shut up,” Levi hissed, looking around to see if someone was listening. “How can I like him if I barely know him?” 

“The heart wants what it wants, baby,” Hange said. “And there’s plenty of time for you to get to know Eren.” 

“Next time you quote Selena Gomez in a conversation I’m never going to talk to you again,” Levi replied. 

“You can’t run from your feelings, Levi,” Hange said more seriously. “And stop overthinking everything, just go with the flow for once.” 

Levi glared at them, but he knew that he always worried a little too much about the smallest things. He turned to grab his backpack and take out the books he needed, not bothering to give Hange a reply. 

As the week went by, he found himself looking for Eren around every corner, hoping to see him, even if he knew that the brunet wouldn’t have come to school until the following week. It had become ridiculous how every time someone mentioned Eren, Levi ached to know something as to why he wasn’t at school and when he would finally be back. He still hadn’t made up his mind about the way he felt towards Eren, but he suspected his heart already knew the answer. 

As Friday was coming to an end, Levi decided to “go with the flow” and stop overthinking too much, so right before leaving school he approached Armin, giving in to his desire to ask him about Eren. 

“Hey,” he said, stopping behind Armin as he was putting away some books in his locker. 

“Hey, Levi, what’s up?” Armin replied, turning around. 

“I was wondering how’s Eren,” Levi asked, averting his eyes. “Since he didn’t come to school all week.” 

“Oh,” Armin said surprised. “He’s fine, he still has some things to sort out at home, but he’ll come back to school next week.” 

“Alright, good,” Levi said, nodding. 

“I’ll tell him you said hi?” Armin asked with a smile. 

“No, there’s no need,” Levi quickly replied. “I have to go now, bye.” 

“Bye,” Armin said with a grin. 

As he was leaving the school, Levi felt his heart beat faster than usual and his cheeks were on fire at the thought of Eren. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos are appreciated :)  
> [ Tumblr ](https://rachel--exe.tumblr.com/)


	7. Eren's POV

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, everyone!
> 
> Before I say anything else, I want to thank all the people that commented on the last chapter, I wasn't expecting all the kind comments I received at all! I usually don't get that many comments on this fic, so I was blown away when more than two people commented! I know that these first chapters aren't the best, I'm still very new to writing and plotting long stories, but I'm really trying my hardest and I can tell you that there are some good chapters coming up soon ;) 
> 
>  If you haven't noticed yet, I put "angst" in the tags, because this chapter is a bit angsty and there will be some more angsty moments in the future, but not many, I always try to keep my fics as angst free as possible, but in this case I can't avoid it.
> 
> I know that a lot of you were sad that there was no Eren in the last chapter, so here he is! But... there's no Levi. This chapter is set during the same week as the previous one and you finally get to know what's happening in Eren's life and his side of the story, so Eren isn't at school and he doesn't get to see Levi. If that makes you happy, there's also going to be some smut in this chapter, even if nothing major (unfortunately). 
> 
>  That's all I have to say for this week, thanks for reading and enjoy! :)

“Eren, could you help me with the stuff in the attic?” Eren heard someone ask him.

“I’m coming,” he shouted, putting the last thing in his father’s study in a box and closing it. 

There were steps on the floor above him and then the sound of a ladder hitting the floor. Eren left his father’s office, locking the door behind him, and put the box in his hands together with the others that were piled up next to the door, ready to be thrown away. He went up the stairs that led to the second floor of his house and walked past all the bedrooms, until he reached the end of the corridor where the ladder that led to the attic was. He climbed it up, and as he was reaching the end of it, he turned his head, looking around the room. He couldn’t see anyone in the dim light of the room, but noticed that all the objects next to him were covered in dust and there were spider webs in every corner. Nobody ever went to that room more than twice a year, to take the boxes with the Christmas decorations and to put them away again, so it came with no surprise the fact that the place looked abandoned. 

“Where are you, Mikasa?” Eren said, climbing the last steps of the ladder, still not seeing anyone around. 

“Here,” came a voice from the back of the room. Soon after the window opened, letting the light and the fresh air come in. 

Mikasa was standing in front of the window, hair tied up in a pony tail and arms covered in tape, looking at the houses along the street. Eren moved around the room, spotting his old childhood toys, notebooks and textbooks from when he was in elementary school, and let a hand scroll through them, smiling at the memories they brought back. 

“It’ll take us the whole day to clean and pack all of this,” Mikasa said as she stopped next to him. 

“I know,” Eren said with a hint of sadness in his voice; he still wasn’t ready to leave this house. 

Mikasa and him had been busy packing their things for the past few days, while their mom went to work and took care of the paperwork to move to a new house. Ever since his father had left them almost a month ago, his mom had felt like a stranger in her own house, so she had decided to sell it and move somewhere smaller with no painful memories in it. Eren understood how his mother felt because it was similar to what he was feeling too; years of happy memories with his father washed away in a single moment. 

When Eren had come home after a longer training session to find his mother crying on the sofa because his father had left and Mikasa trying to comfort her with watery eyes, he had been furious. He had wanted to look for his father in every corner of the town and shout at him, asking why he had left, why they weren’t enough for him, but his mother and sister had managed to calm him down. His mother told him that things weren’t going well between her and her husband and that she was expecting something like this to happen, but never said anything to them to protect them. 

Eren had suspected that something was wrong with the relationship between his parents, but he knew they had gone through similar phases in the past and they had always managed to find a compromise. His father had never been an ideal husband with his cold attitude towards his wife and Eren was certain that he had never thanked nor supported his mother in the last years. Whenever he was around everyone was on edge and dinner was eaten in a solemn silence, yet Eren still had some vague memories of him being a decent father and taking the whole family to the movies or to an amusement park every once in a while when Eren and Mikasa were little. He had hoped that they could have been a happy family once again and he would have done anything to help the process, but when his father had left all his hopes turned into ashes and the only things he felt was anger. 

Because of this, he had been on edge for weeks at school, his mind constantly somewhere else and he hadn’t been able to focus on soccer either. He always imagined himself meeting his father by chance on the road to school or at the grocery store and let loose all the anger he had inside. He knew it wouldn’t be of any help and that now things couldn’t go back to as they were before, pretending to be a happy family, but seeing his mom so devastated and hopeless ignited a fury inside of him that he didn’t know how to handle. 

That’s why it didn’t come as a surprise when he was substituted during the last soccer game. He had been too nervous to play a fair game and too distracted to focus on what was happening on the field, making him lose many plays and goal chances. His team was losing because of his mental state and for as much as he tried, Eren couldn’t do anything to change it. All he wanted was to find a sort of comfort somewhere, to have someone tell him that things would get better and that even if his life wasn’t going to be how it was before, it would still be good. 

When he was substituted he had felt so hopeless and useless that all he wanted to do was to curl up into a ball right under the benches in the locker room and just cry, something he hadn’t been able to do and that had caused all his feelings to bottle up inside him. Instead, he chose to vent out his frustration on the locker in front of him, refusing to shed even a single tear for someone that hadn’t even bothered to say goodbye to their own children. 

When he saw Levi come out from the bathroom, Eren had felt embarrassed for his behaviour toward him (and the locker), but it also gave him a sparkle of hope and his supposed resentment towards him seemed so childish in that moment that he decided to do what Armin always told him to do: he let go. He stopped hanging onto his stupid battle against Levi that he used as a way to deny his true feelings towards the boy and in doing so he also let go of his anger towards his father. Being mad at him wouldn’t bring him back and when Eren realised that, he felt like a weight had been lifted from his shoulders. He couldn’t fix what had happened nor did he have a time traveling machine, but what he could do was to be there for his mother and his sister and do his best to build their family back up. 

He had been thinking about his encounter with Levi for the whole weekend while he was constantly moving boxes and packing things, wondering what Levi thought about starting over with him. He had asked him that in the spur of the moment, encouraged by the new relief he was feeling and thinking that he had nothing to lose. When Levi had agreed to his request, he seemed a bit unsure about it and he had answered almost automatically, so Eren was hoping that he wasn’t going to have second thoughts and completely ignore him the following week. Eren huffed at the thought of Levi and started picking up objects to distract himself from his crush. 

Mikasa and him meticulously worked the whole morning, dusting the various objects before putting them into different boxes and deciding what was worth keeping and what they would get rid of. A lot of the things in the attic were from their childhood, like plushes, toys and books that brought back even more memories of their father, so they decided to donate them. 

As Mikasa had foreseen, they remained in the attic until late in the night, but at least now that room was done. They had cleared their father’s stuff first as it kept reminding them of someone that didn’t care about them anymore, and then had proceeded with the small rooms, like the closet next to the door that had become a dumpster for things that didn’t go with the décor of the house, the guests’ room that didn’t have much in it so it had been easy to pack, and the attic. They had decided to leave their bedrooms for last, so that they would have easy access to all of their things in the meantime. 

After another tiring day, Eren laid on the bed, exhausted from all the work he had done and closing his eyes, he let his mind wander. It was only Wednesday, and he wouldn’t have gone to school until the following week. After the first weeks of disarray and despair, with Eren being always angry and closing himself off, his mom had decided to let Eren and Mikasa skip school for a week, not only to pack things, which was a pressing matter, but also to re-build the balance of their family. They were all just starting to accept the new reality and it would take them some more time to get used to their new life, but what happened had brought them closer than before, making Eren realise how much his father’s moods had ruled over them.

For as much as Eren didn’t like packing, he enjoyed spending some time with Mikasa and finally listen to how she was feeling, instead of focusing only on his anger. They had always been close since childhood and they had been there for each other every time their parents argued, so during the hours they spent packing they were able to strengthen that bond even more, after the weeks Eren had closed himself off from everyone. 

If Eren had to be honest, he didn’t mind missing classes since Armin could send him his notes and he wasn’t worried about missing training either, it was probably a good thing as he had let the whole team down during the last game. The only thing he regretted was not being able to see Levi. 

Eren had been repressing his feelings towards him for a long time, ever since Levi didn’t let him join the basketball team. Eren had never really cared about basketball in his life, but from the first time he had seen Levi at school he had had a major crush on him. He had thought that joining the basketball team would have let him be closer to Levi and that he might have had a chance with him. When Levi had talked to him during the selections, he had never felt happier in his life, but when he didn’t make it into the team he had felt personally rejected and his feelings turned into frustration and anger that had made him behave like a jerk towards Levi. 

He had thought that Levi had made fun of him and that his kindness towards him was all just a façade while in reality he had never planned to let Eren into the team, so Eren decided to join the soccer team and be a pain in Levi’s ass. He knew that this was childish and probably not the best way to move on and get over his crush for the boy, but he wanted to show Levi how wrong he had been. 

Still, whenever he saw Levi around his heart race would speed up and he couldn’t help but stare at him, a void filling his gut, painfully aware that his crush wasn’t going to fade away as easily as he would have liked. Armin had told him many times that he was being a child and that he should stop bothering Levi, but Eren didn’t care, this was the only way he knew to be noticed by him. 

Eren still couldn’t believe how stupid he had been and every time he thought back about what he said or did to Levi his whole body would cringe, and he just wanted to hide in a corner, pretending he had never existed. He knew he had a lot to make up for, yet the tiniest sparkle of hope came to life when he thought about the night he went to Hange’s house after a basketball game Levi had won and the conversation they had. To Eren’s surprise, it had been Levi to talk to him first, asking him what he thought of the basketball team after such an amazing game, and he had had such an attractive grin on his face that Eren had almost confessed to him. 

If he hadn’t been such an idiot for months maybe now he would be with Levi, he would feel his strong arms holding him and soft lips kissing his skin. With a groan Eren let a hand slide down his trousers, past the hem of his underwear and touch his already half hard cock. It wasn’t the first time he touched himself thinking of Levi: if his mind had tried to deny his feelings, his body never had. 

He pictured Levi on his bed, cheeks flushed, and eyes blown by pleasure, biting his bottom lip to hold back his moans. Eren slowly started to stroke himself, imagining what it would be like to kiss down Levi’s torso, sucking and biting his nipples, hearing the moans that would eventually escape his mouth because of him. He would keep kissing him lower and lower until he would reach his waist and then further down, until he would have Levi’s cock standing in front of him. 

Thinking about his mouth around Levi’s length, Eren began to stoke himself faster, feeling himself already dangerously close to his release. He kept picturing his tongue moving up and down Levi’s cock, taking him into his mouth until he touched the back of his throat. He also imagined Levi moaning and writhing beneath him, his hand playing with Eren’s long hair, urging him to move faster. 

Eren had to muffle a moan that threatened to escape his mouth by biting his bottom lip so hard that he could taste blood in his mouth. While he kept fucking his right hand, he brought his left one to squeeze one of his nipples, sending shocks of pleasure down his spine. He was close to his orgasm and when the Levi in his fantasy came in his mouth, his cum running down Eren’s throat, he came as well, hiding his face in the pillow and calling Levi’s name. 

When Eren came down from his high, he achingly felt Levi’s absence beside him. He wanted that hole in his chest to be filled and his imagination wasn’t enough anymore. He needed to feel Levi between his arms, kissing and cuddling him, and he cursed himself for making things more difficult than necessary. Now it would take him a lot more time to get where he wanted to be with Levi, and time was something he was short on, since Levi was graduating from high school in a few months. 

The following days were spent as the previous ones, packing and sorting out things with Mikasa, while their mom was at work or searching for a house. They finally cleared the tool shed in the garden and the tree house they never used anymore. Their mom still hadn’t found a house to move into, so for now they would have to stay where they were for a bit longer, but she insisted on packing anyway, in case she found a house when they least expected it and because she wanted to be able to move out of there as quickly as possible. 

As Eren was resting on his bed on Friday night, he heard his phone vibrating on the night stand and reaching for it, he saw that Armin was calling him. They hadn’t been able to have a proper conversation for the past week as Eren was always so tired that he fell asleep immediately and Armin was busy with school. 

“Hey,” Eren greeted his friend after he picked up the phone. 

“Hi, how are you?” Armin asked. 

“Tired,” he replied with a huff. 

“Do you have much left to pack?” 

“There’s still all the stuff in the basement, in our bedrooms and in the kitchen,” Eren replied, groaning at the thought. 

“I can come over to help if you need another hand,” Armin offered. 

“There’s no need, Mikasa and I can do it, we’re not really in a hurry” he replied. “Thanks anyway.” 

“You know you can count on me if you ever need anything,” Armin said in a kind voice. 

“I know,” Eren replied with a grateful smile on his face, even if his friend couldn’t see it. “How was school this week?” 

“The usual, you didn’t miss much, but I had very interesting conversations with Levi,” Armin casually said. 

“What do you mean with Levi?” Eren asked, sitting up on the bed and opening his eyes wide. 

“A few days ago I was at lunch with Erwin and Levi and Hange were there as well and they asked me if you were single,” Armin replied as if he was talking about the weather. 

“Why?” Eren asked, horrified and hopeful at the same time. “And what did you say?” 

“I told them you’re single, but you have someone you like.” 

“Why would you say that?” Eren almost shouted. “And?” he nervously asked. 

“Nothing,” Armin said. “I didn’t tell them anything else, I just teased them.” 

“Thank God,” Eren said, relieved. 

“You know I would never say anything to Levi, you made it very clear when I started dating Erwin,” Armin retorted. 

“You wouldn’t make my life easier by telling Levi I don’t hate him as much as he thinks.” 

“Points of view,” Armin said and from his voice Eren could tell that he was shrugging. “Anyway, I had a curious conversation with Levi today as well,” he added in a teasing tone. 

“What else happened?” Eren asked anxiously. 

“Right after school ended, Levi talked to me when I was putting away my books in the locker,” Armin slowly started. 

“C’mon, don’t leave me hanging,” Eren urged him. 

“He asked me about you,” Armin concluded. 

“What about me?” 

“He wanted to know how you were doing and why you weren’t at school,” Armin replied. “Well, he didn’t ask me directly the last part, but he looked like he wanted to know.” 

Eren couldn’t help the smile that spread on his face and his heart started beating incredibly faster. Levi was worried about him and wanted to know what was going on in his life. He must be dreaming! 

“Are you still there Eren?” Armin asked. “Did you have a stroke?” 

“I’m fine,” Eren replied in a dreamy voice. 

“I guess I’ll definitely see you at school next week,” Armin asked, a playful tone in his voice. 

“Yeah,” Eren replied, his mind already in fantasy mode. 

“Bye, then,” Armin said, chuckling. 

“Bye,” Eren said, mind now completely full of thoughts of Levi. 

If this week had been a nightmare of boxes, dust and tears, he knew the following one would be completely different. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feel free to leave comments and kudos if you want to, and don't worry, Levi will come back next week! :))
> 
>  [ Tumblr ](https://rachel--exe.tumblr.com/)


	8. Chapter 8

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! We're finally back with some Ereri interaction and we're slowly approaching the moment we've all been waiting for, just have a little bit of patience :)  
> I don't have anything else to say this week, no sappy remarks, no insecurities to talk about, so if you want let me know in the comments how's been your day, how's the week going, do you have any predictions about this fic, is there something you'd _really_ like to see, tell me everything about it! I feel like for once I can shut up and listen :)  
>  Thanks for reading and enjoy! <3

As a new week was starting, Levi hadn’t felt so motivated since the time he had joined the basketball team. Knowing what he wanted to do in the future gave him a sense of purpose and a path to follow. For most of his life he had felt like a fish mindlessly swimming in the vastity of the ocean, unable to find a meaning to his endless journey. Now that he knew where his life was headed to, he felt like he had found his place in this world. He had spent the previous weekend looking at the websites of the colleges Ms. Ral recommended to him, but he always found himself going back to Shinganshina University. The college was a couple of hours by train from the town he lived in, so he had to find a place to rent, on campus or nearby, and possibly a job. The classes were all he could hope for and the professors were really good from what he had found googling their names, but the thing he was most excited about was the basketball team. He watched a few of their games on their official website and he couldn’t believe the players were only a few years older than him. Their game play and their schemes were flawless, and Levi couldn’t stop watching.

So when he entered the high school building on Monday he felt ready to leave the place and finally start his new life. Unfortunately, it was only mid-November, so he would have to wait almost a year before he could fulfil his new-found dream.

Before going to class, he made his way to his locker to put away some heavy books he would need later on in the day, and then headed to his first lesson which was biology. When he arrived, the room was still pretty empty, but Hange was already sat at their usual spot, a book open in front of them. 

“Good morning, shorty,” Hange greeted Levi as he sat next to them. 

“Good morning, shitty glasses,” Levi greeted back. 

“I see you’re in a good mood today, did something good happen last weekend?” they said, raising their eyebrows expectantly. 

“Just college related stuff,” Levi replied, opening his backpack. He didn’t like where this conversation was going. 

“Are you sure that’s it?” Hange said with a grin. 

“Yes, I’m sure,” Levi replied annoyed as he placed a notebook and a pen on the desk. 

When he arrived at school that morning he _might _have looked around a bit to see who was at school and who wasn’t, but that had absolutely nothing to do with the conversation he had with Armin on Friday.__

__“Mmm,” Hange eyed him suspiciously. “Anyway, I found my new movie obsession, drum roll, please,” they said, shaking their hands like a drummer and imitating the sound of a drum roll. “Musicals!” they cheerfully exclaimed._ _

__“Jesus Christ,” Levi said, putting his head on his hands._ _

__“I still haven’t watched “Jesus Christ superstar” but if you want we can watch it together,” Hange said, barely holding back a laughter._ _

__Levi glared at them. “Please, don’t start with the jokes.”_ _

__“C’mon, it was funny,” they said, laughing._ _

__“I don’t know what’s worse, if your jokes or musicals,” Levi retorted while he covered his face with his hands in despair._ _

__“Look, musicals are great” Hange started, shaking Levi’s left arm so that they could see his face. “And don’t start with the bullshit that it’s weird that people start dancing and singing in the middle of a conversation, because that’s what they’re supposed to do in a musical.”_ _

__“It is weird,” Levi said as a matter of fact. “If someone did it while talking to me I would definitely call an asylum.”_ _

__“That’s because you’re closeminded, and now it’s my job to help you see the light. In fact, I’m making you watch “Les Misérables” this Friday at our movie night.”_ _

__“Does Erwin know about this?”_ _

__“Yes, and he’s quite excited to see it because apparently it’s one of Armin’s favourite movies.”_ _

__“Of course it is,” Levi said, giving up._ _

__“Trust me you’re gonna love it!”_ _

__“In all these years I’ve learned not to trust you when you say that.”_ _

__When the teacher came into the lab, Levi had never been happier to see her. Hange were still trying to convince him that musicals were great while listing all the movies they would like to see with him and Erwin and even suggested to watch every season of “Glee” to Levi’s horror. So, when the teacher arrived and put an end to Hange’s discussion on whether it was best to binge watch all seasons in a weekend or watch an episode each time they saw each other, Levi welcomed her with his whole heart._ _

__Morning classes slowly went by and each time Levi changed classrooms, his eyes scanned the students around him, searching for someone he wasn’t able to find. He pretended he wasn’t disappointed about it and that the weird feeling in his gut every time the classroom door closed didn’t mean anything._ _

__After the morning classes Hange and Levi headed to the cafeteria together, and easily spotted Erwin already sat at a table towards the back with Armin. Levi glanced around the room, searching for Eren but the brunet was nowhere to be found._ _

__“Hey, guys,” Erwin greeted them as they sat at the table. Him and Armin already had their packed lunch out, but they hadn’t eaten yet, waiting for them to arrive._ _

__“Hey, lovebirds,” Hange said, sitting in front of Armin while Levi sat opposite Erwin._ _

__“How were classes this morning?” Hange asked, taking out their sandwich._ _

__“Very interesting,” Armin lit up. “We started studying the formation of the oceans after the Big Bang and we have to do a short presentation for next week. I’m not too excited about that because I’m in group with Eren and he always makes me do all the work.”_ _

__At hearing Eren’s name Levi stopped chewing the sandwich he was eating and looked at Armin, anxious to see if he added something more. He wasn’t disappointed as Armin continued saying:_ _

__“I hope it’s not a problem for you guys if Eren and Mikasa sit with us today,” he looked at Hange and Levi. “They are at the principal’s office right now, but they should arrive soon.”_ _

__“No problem, right Levi?” Hange said with a grin._ _

__“Whatever,” Levi replied, taking another bite of his sandwich, even if his stomach was turning into a knot._ _

__“Is it okay if Armin joins us this Friday?” Erwin asked._ _

__“Yes, of course,” Hange said with their mouth full of food. “He’s part of our gang now.”_ _

__“Thanks,” Armin said with a chuckle._ _

__“Just for the record, how long is this movie?” Levi asked._ _

__“Almost three hours, I believe,” Armin calmly replied._ _

__“And they sing for the whole time?” Levi asked, almost terrified._ _

__“Yeah.”_ _

__Levi blinked a few times, not sure he heard right, but when no one rectified what Armin said he exclaimed:_ _

__“You must be fucking kidding me!”_ _

__“Don’t be so dramatic,” Hange said, slapping his shoulder. “Time will fly.”_ _

__“Exactly,” Armin said. “When I made Eren watch it he wasn’t too sure either, but he ended up loving it. You can ask him yourself, look,” he said, indicating the door. “He’s here.”_ _

__Levi turned his head to see the brunet and his sister at the entrance of the cafeteria, looking around in search of their friend. When Eren spotted Armin waiving at them, his face opened up in a bright smile and together with his sister he made his way towards the table. Levi stared at Eren as he walked across the room and when Eren’s eyes landed on him, he quickly turned around, feeling his ears hotter than usual._ _

__“Hi,” Eren and Mikasa greeted the group as they sat down, Eren next to Armin and Mikasa next to Hange._ _

__“I guess I should introduce you,” Armin said, moving close to Erwin to give Eren some more space to sit. “You already know Erwin,” he told his friends. “These are Levi and Hange,” he added, pointing at the two._ _

__While they exchanged greetings, Mikasa eyed Levi with a suspiciously knowing smirk, but made no particular remark._ _

__“I was telling Levi that he shouldn’t be scared of the length of “Les Misérables”,” Armin told Eren and Mikasa once they were all settled._ _

__“Yeah, it’s totally fine,” Eren said, looking at Levi, “Are you planning on watching it?”_ _

__“They’re forcing me to,” Levi replied, glaring at Erwin, Armin and Hange._ _

__“You won’t even notice that it’s really long, right Mikasa?” Eren asked his sister._ _

__“Yeah, it’s really good,” she confirmed, shrugging._ _

__“And Eddie Redmayne is a total babe in that movie,” Eren added with a dreamy look on his face._ _

__“He’s totally you’re type Levi,” Hange exclaimed, shaking his shoulder. “A handsome brunet with light eyes.”_ _

__Levi ignored the way Eren glanced at him and said:_ _

__“Well, he was really good in “The Danish Girl”, so I guess I can give it a chance.”_ _

__“See, it’s gonna be fine,” Hange said. “Do it for Eddie.”_ _

__The rest of the group laughed at that last comment and they all continued eating their lunch, lightly chatting until they all had to go back to class. Levi and Eren kept exchanging glances and it was almost strange how easy it had been to have a conversation with him before. Apparently, Eren wasn’t a jerk at all with his friends, on the contrary, he always smiled at them, carefully listening to whatever they were saying._ _

__The only thing Levi had to do now was understand if he really felt something for Eren or if it was just Hange’s assumptions mixed with his feelings of loneliness. He had never been in a relationship before and whenever he saw Erwin and Armin he longed for something like what they had. He had never felt this way towards anyone, but for some reason Eren intrigued him. He could sense that there was more to him than what met the eye, and just from the brief conversations they had he could tell that Eren wasn’t the asshole he had pretended to be._ _

__Levi pushed these confusing thoughts aside and cleaned the remnants of his lunch, putting everything back into his backpack. All of them had finished eating, apart from Hange that kept taking food out of their bag, and when the bell rang they all went back to classes. Before parting, Eren gently smiled at Levi causing Levi’s heart to skip a beat._ _

__The small gesture populated Levi’s thoughts for the entire afternoon and was still there when Levi finally headed to the gym for basketball training. When Levi entered into the changing room he looked around to check who was there, but there were only a few other students he didn’t know. He went to his usual locker in the middle of the room, opened it to put his backpack in and took out his training clothes. He was eager to train and improve his game to make sure he would be able to get a scholarship for his college of choice, not to mention the fact that it kept his mind busy. As he was stripping out of his jeans the door opened and he heard someone head towards his direction. He turned his head and saw that it was Eren, backpack hanging from one of his shoulders and eyes trained on him. Levi hadn’t noticed what he was wearing before, but now that he was in front of him, he saw that Eren was wearing a pair of ripped jeans that showed a bit of the skin underneath and a black sweater with stripes along the arms. Levi quickly averted his gaze, pretending he hadn’t just thought that Eren looked really hot in that outfit._ _

__“Hey,” Eren said once he stopped near Levi, his eyes briefly wandering towards Levi’s now bare legs._ _

__“Hey,” Levi replied, folding his jeans before putting them in the locker._ _

__“How were classes?” Eren asked, opening a locker near Levi’s and starting to undress as well._ _

__“Boring,” Levi replied, and after taking off his grey sweater he began to put on the team uniform._ _

__Eren chuckled and proceeded to change into his training gear as well. As he was undressing Levi was mesmerized by the way his toned muscles flexed at his every move and how his messy hair fell on his face when he looked down to undo the button of his jeans._ _

__“So, “Les Misérables”, uh?” Eren said, disrupting Levi from his thoughts._ _

__“Yeah,” Levi replied, looking away from him. “Hange likes to explore cinema genres.”_ _

__“It’s a really good movie, all the songs are great, and I think it won a few Oscars,” Eren said, putting on his uniform._ _

__Levi nodded and after thinking for a while he said:_ _

__“We’re watching it at Erwin’s place this Friday, Armin’s coming too, so you can come as well if you want.”_ _

__Eren looked at him surprised, before curving his lips into a sad smile. “Thanks, but unfortunately I can’t,” Eren replied. “Family stuff.”_ _

__“Oh, okay,” Levi replied, feeling dejected._ _

__As they were almost finished changing into their uniforms, Levi noticed that the lockers were getting more crowded and soon after Erwin arrived as well. He smiled at Levi from the doorway and then made his way towards him, greeting a few other players on his way there._ _

__“Hey, guys,” he said, opening the other locker next to Levi’s._ _

__“Hi,” Levi greeted him._ _

__“I’m going to warm up,” Eren said, indicating the door._ _

__“Alright, I’ll be there soon,” Ewin replied._ _

__Eren smiled at Levi before leaving and Levi couldn’t help but stare at his tall figure as he exited the room._ _

__“Did you two solve your dispute?” Erwin said once Eren had closed the door behind him_ _

__“I guess,” Levi replied, shrugging. With all the things that had happened after the soccer game, he hadn’t told Erwin about his conversation with Eren. “He apologised and now he’s like a totally different person. I don’t really understand him.”_ _

__“I think you two should have a talk, Armin told me something, but it’s not my place to tell you.”_ _

__“But it was his to tell you?” Levi said, raising his eyebrows._ _

__“I’m the captain, I need to know if some of my teammates have any kind of problems.”_ _

__“Yeah, tell that to yourself.”_ _

__Erwin shook his head and finished putting his uniform on. Looking at him, Levi didn’t feel the same way as when he had caught a glimpse of Eren’s body._ _

__“Erwin?” he said._ _

__“Yeah?”_ _

__“Can I ask you something about Armin?”_ _

__“Why so formal?” Ewin asked, feigning to be shocked. “Yeah, go ahead,” he continued when Levi didn’t reply._ _

__“How did you know you liked him?”_ _

__Erwin eyed him with a grin and said:_ _

__“Well, I always wanted to see him, I looked for him everywhere at school and I wanted to know everything about him. I don’t know how to explain it, but I could only think about him.”_ _

__“You’re so cheesy,” Levi told him with a mocking grin._ _

__“I’m sure that underneath all that cold stone attitude you have, you’re the cheesiest person on this planet.”_ _

__“Shut up, I’m not.”_ _

__“Don’t even try to deny it, I just know it. Why the question anyway?”_ _

__“Nothing, just curiosity,” Levi said, averting his eyes._ _

__“Does it have to do with Eren?” Erwin asked._ _

__“What?” Levi said, looking at Erwin with a frown. “No!” he quickly denied._ _

__“I saw you two exchanging glances at lunch,” Erwin pointed out._ _

__“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”_ _

__Erwin raised an eyebrow and stared at him._ _

__“Maybe, alright? I don’t know. How can I like him if I don’t know anything about him?” Levi said. “And now stop staring at me, you’re so creepy when you do that.”_ _

__“You overthink too much, Levi,” his friend said with a huff. “There are plenty of people that get together every day without feeling anything for each other and I can tell you they don’t worry about it as much as you do. Plus, you might get luckier that you think,” he added with a wink, standing up from the bench._ _

__Erwin left the room, leaving behind a very confused Levi who just decided to pretend he didn’t have feelings. Instead, he focused his mind on the training, perfecting his passages and strategies. The first half of the league was almost coming to an end. There were only three games left before the Christmas holidays and they were in the lead by one point. Luckily, nobody got injured until now and they were all in great shape, winning game after game, but it took only a second of distraction to break or injure something._ _

__When training was over, Levi hurriedly showered and changed into his normal clothes. As he was leaving the changing room, he saw the soccer team coming towards the lockers, but he was quick to leave, still ignoring the strange feeling he had in his stomach._ _

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is highly appreciated :)  
> [ Tumblr ](https://rachel--exe.tumblr.com/)


	9. Chapter 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Just a quick note to tell you that I've fully updated the tags even if none of those things happen in this chapter, but at least you know what to expect in the future :)  
> Enjoy!

It was late at night, but Levi couldn’t fall asleep. It wasn’t unusual for him as he often had insomnia and when he did sleep, he usually went to bed quite late. This time, however, it was different. He had his Facebook page open on his pc and was staring at the picture he had already seen of Armin, Mikasa and Eren at the cinema. He had been staring at Eren for a while to the point that his face didn’t seem human anymore, but he couldn’t bring himself to click on his name in the tags. He had been debating about it the whole evening, deciding if he was going to be one of those people that stalked their crushes on every social media or if he was going to close the tab and let curiosity eat him away all night. Finally, he resolved to click on it, just to check, he told himself as Eren’s profile appeared on the screen. His profile picture was a photo of him in his soccer uniform, exulting after scoring a goal, Levi assumed, since he had his fist in the air and wore the biggest smile ever.

Levi scrolled down to see what Eren published, but there weren’t many posts, just some photos of him and his friends once in a while and pictures from his holidays. Levi went to the folder with all of Eren’s profile pictures and looked for the oldest one. As soon as he found it, he couldn’t help but laugh. In that picture Eren was probably thirteen and had long emo hair to the point that it was almost impossible to see his face and was making a duck face that was worth a cringe attack. Levi shouldn’t have been the one to judge since he went through his emo phase as well, but at least he had deleted all his pictures from that dark past. 

The rest of Eren’s profile pictures were less cringeworthy and some of them were even cute. Levi spent a good ten minutes searching Eren’s profile, reading everything he posted and what he did before Levi met him. There wasn’t much of those days, just a few posts complaining about school and homework, and when Levi reached the bottom of his profile, he didn’t know if he should feel relieved or worried that there was nothing about his love life. 

After his stalking session, Levi felt guilty. He had never done something like this before, not even when he had added Hange and Erwin as friends, and he didn’t know how he would be able to face the brunet the following day. 

At this point, he couldn’t deny that he liked Eren any longer, or at least he was physically attracted to him. Eren met all Levi’s standards: tall, brunet, big green eyes and a smile that always made him weak at the knees. The image of him changing into his uniform was still stuck on his mind, making it almost impossible to focus on anything else. 

Maybe Erwin was right, many people got together without knowing almost anything about each other and with the sole objective of messing around, but that wouldn’t satisfy Levi. He had never been one to use people just for his physical gratification, not for some high sense of morality, but simply because he couldn’t be bothered to be with someone he didn’t care about. The only people he kept in his life were ones whose company he enjoyed, and he would have rather lived on a deserted island than be around someone that bored him to death, even if they were satisfying his physical needs. 

At the moment the only things he knew about Eren were things that other people had told him and he had had only two proper conversations with the brunet, not counting the various insults Eren had thrown at him. Levi had come to the conclusion that the Eren who had annoyed him wasn’t the real one, that it had been all a mask he had put on, even if he didn’t know for what reason. The way Eren had behaved at lunch the previous day had reminded him of the first time he saw him at the basketball selections and Levi was almost sure that that was the real him. 

There was one thing Levi could do to be absolutely certain about his suppositions and it was to get to know Eren. Unfortunately, he had never been good in the social department and even less in the romantic one, so he didn’t know where to start. He would have googled “How to flirt with someone when your social skills suck” but he didn’t want to scrape the bottom of the barrel of his self-esteem, stalking Eren had already been pretty embarrassing. 

With a frustrated huff, Levi shut his PC and tossed it under the bed, hiding from his thoughts underneath the blankets. He hoped to fall asleep fast enough so that his mind wouldn’t be able to come up with more questions and then wake up with a perfect solution in the morning. 

Unfortunately, that didn’t happen, and before he could even open his eyes, his mind was already set on Eren. His stomach twisted all the way to school and when he saw Eren waiting at the front gate he didn’t know how to face him. Eren was scanning the people that were slowly entering the school yard and as soon as he spotted Levi, his lips curved into a smile and his gaze fixed on him. 

“Hi, Levi,” he said. 

“Hi,” Levi replied, stopping next to him. 

“Do you mind if we talk for a second?” 

“No, what’s up?” 

“Let’s go somewhere quieter,” Eren said and led Levi to the backyard of the school that was still empty. 

“I owe you a proper apology,” Eren started, turning to face Levi. 

Levi didn’t reply but looked at him showing he had his attention. 

“I know I’ve been an ass basically all this past year and I really have no good excuse for that, I was really immature and took that rejection too personally. I’m really sorry. I know I gave you a really bad first impression, but I promise I’m not that much of a jerk.” 

“Don’t worry, Eren, I never took to heart what you told me, in fact I rarely listened.” 

“I’m glad,” Eren said, chuckling. 

“Even though I have to say that these past months you outdid yourself,” Levi continued with a small smile. 

Eren’s smile fell and his expression was a mixture of sadness, anger and embarrassment. 

“Well,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck. “My father left home, and I was really angry, I had a hard time to come to terms with it. I know this doesn’t justify my actions and I will never apologize enough.” 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t know,” Levi said, feeling bad for making Eren talk about such a delicate topic. 

“It’s fine, I’m over it now,” Eren said with a sad smile. 

“I know it’s a tough time, my father abandoned me and my mom too, so I get what you’re feeling, even if I was only six when he left.” 

“Fathers of the year, right?” Eren said with a sarcastic grin. 

“Yeah,” Levi replied. “Well, at least he fed me, when I went to live with my uncle all I got was pre-heated meals and unhealthy shit. That’s probably why I didn’t grow tall at all.” 

Eren chuckled. “I think it’s cute,” he muttered under his breath while a faint blush appeared on his cheeks. 

At first Levi was taken aback by the comment, but soon after he felt his cheeks warm as well, but he wasn’t going to let Eren get away with it. 

“Cute? Me?” he asked, pretending to be offended. “Have you seen these muscles?” he rolled up the sleeve of his sweater and flexed his arm. “These are manly muscles.” 

Eren was now openly laughing and Levi could have spent the entire day listening to that sound if the bell signalling the beginning of the classes hadn’t rang, interrupting their moment. They looked at each other for a second before heading towards the entrance together and then walking side by side until Eren reached his classroom. 

“See you at lunch,” Eren said, smiling. 

“See you,” Levi replied with a small smile of his own. 

During the whole exchange, butterflies had populated Levi’s stomach and if he had to be honest he didn’t particularly like the feeling. It was uncomfortable, almost as if he was about to be sick at any moment, but if he had to stay away from Eren for it to go away, then he would have gladly accepted the discomfort. 

Levi spent the morning looking at the clock, waiting for lunchtime, and when it arrived, Hange sat near Armin, leaving Levi alone with Eren, since Mikasa was eating with her friends that day. He knew that this was all planned and that the three grins in front of him were a confirmation of it, but this time he didn’t mind at all and he comfortably ate listening to Eren complain about classes and replying to his questions. 

“Do you mind teaching me a bit of basketball during the weekend?” Eren asked him when lunch was almost over. 

“Sure, no problem,” Levi replied, glad to have a chance to see Eren even outside of school. 

“Would this Saturday work for you?” 

“Yeah, it’s fine.” 

“Great,” Eren said with a smile. 

The rest of the day passed by uneventful between classes and training. That weekend, Levi didn’t have a basketball game, so training was a bit more relaxed than usual. They mainly trained one on one and practiced slam dunks, even if Levi hated it because he was too short to reach the basket when he jumped. 

He met Eren in the lockers and exchanged a few words with him about pointless things, but Levi didn’t mind. He liked listening to Eren talk and he realised that as he had suspected, the brunet wasn’t a jerk at all. In fact, it was quite the opposite. He got to know everyday a bit more of him, what he liked and what he didn’t like, but somehow Eren always avoided talking about his family. Levi guessed that it was still a sensitive topic for him and that he wasn’t as over it as the brunet had told him. Levi wanted to reassure and help him in some way, but he didn’t know how, so he just waited for Eren to be comfortable enough to talk to him about it first. 

Finally, Friday came along and Levi reluctantly went to Erwin’s house for their movie night. He was still hesitant about the whole “Les Misérables” thing, so he had fully charged his phone in case the movie turned out to be boring as hell. Once he arrived, Armin’s bike was already there and the first thing he noticed when Erwin opened the door was that his lips were redder than usual and his hair messy, in complete contrast with his usual perfect hairstyle. 

“Hey, Levi,” Erwin said, clearing his throat and fixing the collar of his shirt. 

“Do you want me to come back later?” Levi asked, scanning his friend from head to toe. 

“I don’t know what you mean,” Erwin said, as he opened the door wider to let Levi in. 

“Just tell me where not to sit,” Levi replied, entering and stopping near the door to take off his shoes. 

Once he made his way to the living room, he saw Armin sat on the couch, casually scrolling through his phone. 

“Hey,” Armin said, looking up. 

“Don’t pretend you two weren’t just making out on that couch,” Levi retorted. 

“Actually, it was the bed,” Erwin rectified, entering the room behind Levi. 

“Good,” Levi said, and sat on the couch. 

Armin’s face was completely flushed, and he gaped at Erwin who just shrugged apologetic. As he was about to sit down on the couch as well, the doorbell rang again, and he went to open the door a second time. Soon after he came back followed by Hange. 

“Are you ready for the best night of your life?” they said, showing off the DVD in their hands. 

“Have you actually seen the movie before?” Levi asked them. 

“No, I wanted to watch it for the first time with you guys, like we always do,” they replied, handing the DVD to Erwin and sitting on the couch between Levi and Armin. 

“So you can’t know if it’s going to be good or a total bore,” Levi pointed out. 

“I know it will be awesome,” Hange said. “Plus, I trust Armin’s opinion,” they added, smiling at the blond guy. 

“Are you ready?” Erwin asked after starting the DVD player. 

Hange sunk into the couch more and took the bowl of pop corns in their lap. 

“Ready!” they said. 

Levi sat more comfortably on the couch, crossing his legs and adjusting the pillow in case he ended up taking a nap. After putting an armchair next to Armin, Erwin sat on it, turning off the lights and starting the movie. 

By the time the first song ended, Levi was hooked. The story was intriguing, and the songs were one better than the other. All the actors were great, and when Eddie Redmayne appeared, he knew Eren wasn’t lying. During some scenes he heard Hange loudly sob next to him, but he couldn’t make fun of them because his own eyes were watering as well. 

When the movie ended he was shocked that it was over so quickly. They all remained in silence for a moment, letting the credits roll and staring at the screen, processing what they had just seen. 

“Wow,” Hange said, breaking the silence. 

“Told you,” Armin said with a smile. 

Once the screen was completely black, Erwin took out the DVD and turned off the tv. 

“Was it so bad, Levi?” Hange asked, turning towards him. 

“It was okay,” Levi shrugged. 

“I know you loved it!” Hange exclaimed. “I heard you sniff during the film.” 

“Alright, it was good,” Levi admitted. 

“I’m going to download the whole playlist when I get home,” Hange said. 

“I have the CD if you want,” Armin informed her. 

“Give it to me! That’s all I’m going to listen to for the rest of my life,” they said, making Armin chuckle at their enthusiasm 

Silenced filled the room as they all went back to staring at the black screen in front of them, all absorbed in their own thoughts. 

“I’m hungry!” Hange busted out, the bowl of pop corns empty in their lap. 

“I have some more pop corns to make in the kitchen,” Erwin said. 

“Let’s go make them,” Hange replied, standing up from their seat and grabbing Erwin’s arm before dragging him to the kitchen. 

Once they were left alone, Levi and Armin sat in silence, listening to their friends opening and closing cupboards in the kitchen. 

“Eren told me you had invited him to come as well,” Armin said once they heard the microwave turn on. 

“I was just being polite,” Levi replied. 

Armin eyed him with a knowing grin. “I heard you two are going to play basket together tomorrow.” 

“He asked me to teach him the basics,” Levi replied. He didn’t like how Armin kept bringing Eren up like he knew there was something going on between the two of them. He assumed he knew about what happened between the two of them, but he couldn’t know what was going on inside Levi’s mind, could he? 

The microwave went off and Hange came back into the room with a bowl of piping hot pop corns. Erwin was right behind them with a plate full of cookies that Levi eyed immediately. 

“What are you talking about?” Hange asked, sitting on the couch. 

“Tomorrow Levi is going to teach Eren some basketball,” Armin said. 

“Just basketball?” Hange said waggling their eyebrows. 

Levi glared at them and dug through the bowl of pop corns to take a handful of them. 

“Why didn’t you invite him this evening?” Hange continued. “He liked the movie.” 

“He wasn’t free,” Levi said and immediately regretted it. 

“Did you seriously invite him?” Hange exclaimed, excited. “Getting confident, uh?” 

“He didn’t come anyway,” Levi replied, shrugging. 

“I’m sure he’ll make up for it tomorrow, if you know what I mean,” they said with a wink. 

Levi didn’t reply and simply glared at them, but in his heart, he hoped they were right. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ Tumblr ](https://rachel--exe.tumblr.com/)


	10. Chapter 10

When Levi woke up on Saturday, the sun wasn’t out yet. He looked at the alarm clock on his bedside table: 6.12 a.m. He groaned, turning around in the bed and closed his eyes, trying to fall asleep again. While his body was still tired, his mind was fully awake and images of Eren kept popping up onto his mind. He would see the brunet in less than four hours and, like it had happened during the past week, his mind was coming up with different scenarios that inevitably ended up with him kissing Eren.

He knew his feelings had developed rather suddenly, considering they had been having civil conversations for only a couple of weeks, but he didn’t have control over them anymore. It had never happened to him to like someone after such a short period of time. He wasn’t one to be friendly with everyone that talked to him, in fact he just more or less politely replied to them, but with Eren everything had changed. He felt restless when he didn’t see him at school and even more restless when he talked to him, but what surprised him the most was the fact that he _wanted_ Eren to talk to him and be part of his life. 

As he was having these kinds of thoughts, Levi was drifting in and out of sleep while images of Eren kept playing in his head mixed with his own fantasies. The soundtrack of “Les Misérables” was still stuck in his head and scenes from the movie kept interrupting his fantasies. Somehow, Eren was now speaking in French, telling him to fight for the common people that lived in poverty and hunger. 

When he gained enough consciousness to realise that it was all just a dream, Levi sat on his bed, glad he had been able to escape that nightmare, and got up. It was now past seven and he didn’t hear a sound coming from the rest of the house; his uncle must have already left. He went to the bathroom to wash his face and teeth and then made his way to the kitchen. He made himself a cup of tea and grabbed a packet of gingerbread cookies. 

After breakfast he still had a couple hours left before he was supposed to meet Eren, so to kill time and calm his nerves, Levi tided up his bedroom and the bathroom, the two rooms he used the most. The kitchen was still clean from the previous day and he never went into his uncle’s bedroom. Cleaning was an automatic process for Levi, so he was able to switch off his brain and let his body follow the familiar routine. He made sure to clean every single spot in both rooms, opening all the windows and airing the carpets. He decided to change his bedsheets as well, so that it would take him more time to finish cleaning, and he dusted every surface in his room. 

Once he had finished, Levi had barely enough time to take a shower and change before heading out. He wore a pair of black sweatpants, a black hoodie and his usual black Converse. He took the basketball he had on one of the shelves in his room and put it in a bag along with a bottle of water, a towel and a packet of mints. He double checked he had everything and then headed out. 

He was meeting Eren at a small park near the school and as usual he was walking there. It was pretty cold outside, and the sky was covered in clouds that promised rain later in the day. On his way there, Levi didn’t see anyone around, just some cats walking on the sidewalk that ran away as soon as they saw him. 

When Levi arrived at his destination, there was only one person at the park, sat on one of the swings facing the entrance. As Levi saw Eren waiting for him his heart skipped a beat for then starting to beat faster than normal and, as he walked towards Eren, he took deep breaths, trying to calm down. 

Eren was wearing black sweatpants and a dark grey sweater and he had his hair up in that messy bun that Levi had started to like. He was looking at his phone, but as he heard Levi’s steps crunching the fallen leaves on the grass, he raised his head and his face opened up in a bright smile. 

“Hi,” he said, standing up from the swing. 

“Hi,” Levi greeted him once he had reached him. “Did you sleep last night?” he asked, noticing the dark circles around Eren’s eyes. 

“Oh,” the brunet said, touching his under eyes. “I woke up early this morning because I was excited for today and then couldn’t fall back asleep,” he explained with a sheepish smile. 

“Let’s start then,” Levi said, turning to hide the smile on his face. 

They moved to the part of the park with a basketball court and Levi took out the ball from the bag he then put on a bench nearby. He bounced the ball a few times before getting into position in front of Eren. 

“Bend your knees a bit more,” he said, indicating Eren’s knees. 

The brunet did what Levi told him, and Levi nodded. 

“Try stopping me,” Levi said, bouncing the ball again. 

Eren didn’t take his eyes off of the ball, but Levi moved fast and easily went past him. 

“Don’t just look at the ball, look at what I do,” he said, getting back into position. 

This time Eren kept his eyes on him, studying his every move and Levi felt himself getting lost in his eyes. Now that he looked closely, they weren’t plain green, there was more of a teal hue in them and even some grey, probably due to the weather. Levi was so lost in Eren’s eyes that only when it was too late, he noticed that the brunet was moving and snatched the ball from his hands. 

“Got it,” Eren said with a smug grin, showing the ball. 

“I got distracted for a second,” Levi said, moving towards Eren to take the ball back. 

“Did you now?” Eren said, raising one eyebrow. 

Levi rolled his eyes and moved closer to the ball, but Eren held his hand up, bringing the sphere out of Levi’s reach. The older boy glared at him and moved even closer to Eren so that their bodies were almost touching. Levi stared at Eren’s eyes that, as he got closer, widened in surprise and desire. His lips were parted, and his gaze went from Levi’s eyes to his mouth. Levi sneered, and as he got onto his tiptoes and closer to Eren’s face, he yanked the brunet’s arm down and stole the ball from his grip. 

Levi moved back, bouncing the ball on the ground, and looked at Eren with a mocking expression. The brunet looked confused for a second and then blushed up to his ears, averting his gaze. 

“Who was distracted now?” Levi teased him. 

“I had a good reason,” Eren muttered under his breath. 

“C’mon, let’s go back to basketball,” Levi said, getting back into position. 

This time Eren followed his movements, but Levi was too fast for him and went past him, heading towards the hoop. Eren ran after him, trying to take the ball, but was too slow and Levi easily scored. 

“Again,” Eren said, getting ready for another round. 

They continued playing, and even if Levi always won, Eren never gave up. He kept asking for more plays until, almost an hour later, he was finally able to stop Levi and take the ball. As Eren was running ahead of him, Levi could see the smile the brunet had on his face and it made his heart skip a beat. He hadn’t enjoyed being around someone this much in a long time and he wished the day would never end. 

After he slammed the ball into the hoop, Eren started running around the court with his hands in the air and stopping next to Levi he dramatically said: 

“I wanna thank not only God, but also Jesus…”

“Shut up,” Levi interrupted him, pushing his shoulder. 

Eren wholeheartedly laughed, holding his belly, and Levi first tried to supress his laughter, but he couldn’t hold it in for long. He openly laughed and at the sound Eren stopped to look at him. 

“You’re laughing,” he said, surprised. “I’ve never seen you laugh.” 

“I only laugh at memes,” Levi replied, still laughing. 

“I like it,” Eren said with a faint blush on his cheeks. 

Levi stopped his laughter; his heart was pounding in his chest and his face was getting warmer, not only because of the workout. 

“Thanks,” he said, clearing his throat. “Let’s play a bit more before going back,” he added, moving towards the basket to pick up the ball. 

As he turned around, Eren grabbed his wrist and stopped him. 

“Levi, wait,” he said, releasing his wrist once Levi was facing him again. “I…” he started, taking a deep breath. “Your laughter isn’t the only thing I like about you. I’ve had a crush on you ever since freshman year and I’ve tried to change these feelings by picking at you and making you hate me, but they’re still here and I don’t want to deny them anymore,” he said, looking at Levi in the eyes. “I like you, Levi.” 

Levi stared at him, trying to process what Eren just told him. He wasn’t really shocked by the confession as he already suspected the brunet felt something for him, but hearing it from Eren’s mouth made it all real. It wasn’t his mind conjuring up improbable scenarios in which Eren would confess. It was real. This was the real world and Eren had just confessed to him. 

The weeks he had spent trying to figure out and understand Eren’s feelings as well as his own had felt like months. He had kept replaying his previous conversations with Eren to confirm his suspects and gather up enough courage to ask Eren out and the brunet had beaten him to it. 

Eren was looking at him expectantly, tormenting his bottom lip and fidgeting with the hem of his sweater. 

“I’m sorry I couldn’t hate you,” Levi said and, taking a step closer, he put a hand on Eren’s cheek and kissed him. 

After a second of surprise, Eren kissed him back and Levi felt his whole stomach turn upside down. Eren’s lips were soft against his own and he couldn’t focus on anything else. He let his right hand wander through the brunet’s hair while with the other he brought him closer. Eren wrapped him arms around him and tilted his head, gently kissing Levi. 

It wasn’t anything like Levi had anticipated. It wasn’t that gross and thankfully Eren’s mouth still tasted like mint, but what he wasn’t expecting was how right it felt, like had found the piece that was missing from his life and suddenly everything made at the same time more and less sense than before. Or some bullshit like that, because Levi certainly wasn’t going to become a sappy love-stuck idiot. 

_Nope. Not a chance._ Levi told himself. 

When the kiss broke, Eren looked at Levi in the eyes with a big smile, face only inches apart from Levi’s. 

“So blessed. So moved. So grateful. Can’t believe this is my life, never gonna take it for granted,” he said, grinning. 

“Stop quoting Justin Bieber,” Levi said, smacking his arm, but he was smiling as well. 

Eren kissed him again and as he was pulling away they heard a thunder. 

“C’mon, let’s go to my place,” Levi said, freeing himself from Eren’s embrace. 

He quickly gathered up his things and taking Eren’s hand he headed towards his house. 

As he entered the door, Levi put his bag in the closet next to the door and removed his shoes. 

“Are you hungry?” he asked Eren as the brunet was placing his shoes next to Levi’s. 

“Yeah,” he replied with a smile. “I didn’t have breakfast this morning.” 

“Would pizza be good?” 

“Yes, I love it!” 

Levi called a pizzeria nearby and ordered a margherita for himself and a bacon for Eren. 

“Isn’t anyone at home?” Eren asked when Levi finished the order. 

“No, my uncle usually comes back late at night,” Levi replied. “Do you want a drink?” 

“Water is fine,” Eren said. “What about your mom?” he asked, following Levi into the kitchen. 

“She died when I was six,” Levi replied. 

“Oh shit, I didn’t mean to bring it up,” Eren said. 

“Don’t worry it’s been over ten years now,” Levi replied. “Here,” he handed Eren a glass of water. 

“Thanks,” the brunet replied. 

As Eren was drinking, Levi debated whether it was a good time to ask Eren about his own family. He had been worrying about it for a while and wanted to know if there was anything he could do to help Eren. By the time Eren finished his water, Levi had already made up his mind. They were already talking about sensitive topics anyway. 

“How are things at home?” Levi asked, leaning on the kitchen counter. 

“Still far from normal,” Eren said with a huff. “We finally found a house to move into, but it’ll be available only early next year. My mom wants to move out as soon as possible, so during the Christmas holidays we’ll stay at my grandma’s who lives literally in the middle of nowhere.” 

“I didn’t know you were moving,” Levi said. “Where are you going?” 

“Not far, but my mom couldn’t stand to live in our old house anymore,” Eren explained in a sad tone. 

“And what about you?” 

“I think it’s the right choice. In a couple of years Mikasa and I are going to college, so we won’t be home a lot anyway.” 

“You know you can count on me if you ever need anything,” Levi said. 

Eren smiled at him and, coming to stand in front of Levi, he wrapped his arms around his waist. 

“You’re such a babe,” he said. 

“Don’t call me that,” Levi replied, blushing. 

Eren bent down to kiss him and Levi eagerly replied, moving his lips against Eren’s and putting his hands behind Eren’s neck. Eren tilted his head and tentatively licked Levi’s bottom lip. When the other boy opened his mouth Eren pushed his tongue past Levi’s lips and explored the insides of Levi’s mouth while he lifted him up on the kitchen counter. Levi wrapped his legs around Eren’s waist and brought him closer to him. Kissing Eren felt so good that he didn’t remember that time was a thing until the doorbell rang right as he was licking Eren’s tongue. 

Levi and Eren simultaneously pulled away, looking at each other confused. 

“The fucking pizzas,” Levi said, jumping down from the counter and leaving the kitchen. 

As he was grabbing his wallet, he looked at himself in the mirror. His lips were swollen and his hard on was visible through the sweatpants. He fixed himself as best as he could and then opened the door. The delivery guy didn’t seem to notice anything, or at least he didn’t comment on it, and Levi quickly payed and took the pizzas. 

When he went back to the kitchen Eren was leaning on the counter and he smiled at him. 

“Let’s eat on the couch,” Levi said and opened a cupboard to take some napkins and a coke. Eren took two glasses and followed him in the living room. 

Levi turned on the TV that as always was tuned into the sports channel. 

“What do you want to watch?” he asked Eren. 

“Anything is fine,” the brunet replied, setting the glasses on the small table in front of the couch. 

Levi flipped channels until he found one where they were playing an episode of “Doctor Who” and sat next to Eren. As they ate their pizzas, they watched the Doctor meet Agatha Christie and chase a giant bee around an old mansion which was one of Levi’s favourite episodes. 

_Can this day get any better?_ Levi thought as he quickly glanced at Eren next to him.

After they finished their pizzas Levi made some tea and, taking a blanket from the closet under the TV, he cuddled up with Eren on the sofa. Meanwhile, it had started to rain outside and the noise of the raindrops on the windows was so soothing that Levi felt his eyelids close. 

“I’m really tired,” he said, resting his head on Eren’s shoulder. 

“What time did you wake up?” Eren asked. 

“At six. I tried to fall back asleep, but I kept having hallucinations about you singing in French and telling me to join the revolution.” 

“What was that all about?” Eren said, chuckling. 

“It’s all because of “Les Misérables”, it’s messing with my head.” 

“Oh yeah, did you like it?” 

“More than I had anticipated. Hange will never leave me alone now, not after today anyway.” 

Eren looked at him with a confused expression. “What do you mean?” 

“They’ve been trying to get us together for months,” Levi groaned. “I don’t want to go to school on Monday.” 

“Really?” Eren asked surprised. 

“Yeah, you were pretty obvious,” Levi said with a grin, looking at Eren. 

“I wasn’t,” the brunet replied, flushing. 

“You were,” Levi retorted and lifting his head he kissed Eren. “Next time avoid the insults, though, it’ll go much smoother” 

Eren groaned and hid his face in the crook of Levi’s neck. 

“I’ve been such an idiot,” he said. 

“You have,” Levi agreed and raising Eren’s head he sat on his lap. 

“But that’s in the past,” he continued, wrapping his hands around Eren’s neck. “Now be a good boyfriend and kiss me.” 

Eren smiled and kissed Levi’s lips, taking a hold of his waist to bring him closer. Levi tugged on his hair and when Eren opened his mouth he slipped his tongue inside, getting back to where he was when the pizzas had arrived. Now that he had tasted Eren he couldn’t get enough of him, wanting always more. He bit Eren’s bottom lip, eliciting a moan from the brunet. He then moved down to his neck, leaving a trail of kisses and making sure to leave as many red marks as he could on the skin there. 

“Levi,” Eren panted, rolling his hips into his. 

Levi could feel that the brunet was as hard as he was, and he moved in time with Eren’s thrusts while he kept sucking on his neck. Eren grabbed his ass, bringing him forward while he continued thrusting upwards. 

A moan escaped Levi’s mouth and he felt himself getting close to the edge. He went back to kissing Eren’s mouth, licking and sucking his tongue until he was out of breath and had to pull away. He threw his head back, closing his eyes as he tried to catch his breath, but it caught in his throat when Eren latched himself to his neck, kissing him up to his ear. He bit his earlobe which sent a shiver down Levi’s spine and to his cock. 

“Eren,” Levi panted, bucking his hips faster against Eren’s and after a few more thrusts he came with a low cry. 

“Shit,” Eren said and he came as well, hiding his face in the crook of Levi’s neck. 

Levi rested his head on Eren’s shoulder as he regained his breath and listened to Eren do the same with a smile on his lips. 

“We need to get cleaned,” Levi said once his breath was even again. 

“Later,” Eren said, hugging Levi tightly. 

Levi felt his skin rub against his wet underwear and grimaced at the feeling. 

“Now,” he said. “C’mon,” he climbed down Eren’s lap and led him to the bathroom. 

After they got cleaned, Levi lent Eren a pair of his sweatpants that looked extremely short and tight on him, but Levi enjoyed the view he had of Eren’s butt. 

They cuddled up on the sofa, throwing the blanket over them, and spent the rest of the afternoon there, kissing, napping and talking, with the sound of the rain isolating them from the rest of the world. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [ Tumblr ](https://rachel--exe.tumblr.com/)


	11. Chapter 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I've noticed that a few people have recently subscribed to this fic, so I want to welcome you all on board, you're in for a long ride! I still don't know how many chapters this fic will have, but I'd say around 25, maybe?   
> I also want to thank everyone that commented on my latest chapters, it's really encouraging to know that you're enjoying this fic and it gives me the validation I crave <3  
> On a side note, the update day might change starting next week, I'm still not sure, I'll have to see how busy my Thursdays are going to get, but updates should still be weekly :)  
> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy! :))

On Monday, Levi went to school earlier than usual, eager to see Eren. It was a miserable day, the sky was covered in dark clouds that promised rain and the puddles from Saturday were still full of half frozen water, but even so, Levi was in a good mood. Buried in his scarf, he was happily walking the streets, avoiding the puddles and thinking about Eren. At the beginning of the school year, he would have never thought that he would have a boyfriend by the end of November and that said boyfriend would be Eren Jeager, out of all people. Their relationship during the past year hadn’t been on the friendly side, to say the least, and yet there they were.

Saturday afternoon had been perfect. Levi was never one for going outside, so spending the afternoon cuddled up with Eren on the couch, hearing his heartbeat so close to him, holding each other, and feeling Eren’s skin under his touch, was just the ideal date for him. In so little time Eren had completely invaded Levi’s mind, images of him filled his dreams and he just couldn’t forget the taste of his lips. 

Lost in his thoughts, Levi didn’t notice he had arrived at school until he saw the familiar gate. There were only a few people around as most of the students still had to arrive. Levi searched for Eren around the schoolyard, but the boy was nowhere to be found, so he went inside to take cover from the cold. He went to his locker to store some books and while he was at it he decided to clean it. He didn’t keep many things in there, just some books, an extra pair of clothing, just in case he needed it, enough hand sanitizer to last him the entire year and random flyers that people gave him outside the school. 

He had already cleared most of his locker and was trying to reach the highest shelf to see what was there, when someone stopped beside him. 

“Hi,” a familiar voice said. 

Levi turned his head and was met by the vision of a smiling Eren, cheeks slightly red because of the cold. How could he always look so beautiful? 

“Hi,” Levi greeted him, heartbeat speeding up and blood rushing to his cheeks. 

To hide his blush, he turned back towards the locker and reached again for the upper shelf, searching to see if there was anything there. Even on his tiptoes he couldn’t reach the end of it, his fingertips were touching piece of paper. He felt Eren reach from behind him and easily take whatever was hiding up there. 

“Here,” he said, handing him the piece of paper. 

Levi took it and saw that it was flyer for an incredible sale on cleaning products at his favourite supermarket. He quickly scanned it to see if he was too late for the sale, but luckily, he still had a week of time. 

Eren chuckled beside him and Levi turned around with a questioning frown. 

“Sorry, it’s just that you look at that flyer as if it was the Sacred Grail.” 

“At least my locker doesn’t look like a bomb exploded in it,” Levi replied. “I’ve seen yours in the gym and it’s giving me nightmares. I bet your room is a mess.” 

“You can always come over and help me clean it,” Eren said with a mischievous grin. 

“Maybe I will,” Levi replied in a serious tone. “Here,” he added, taking out a piece of clothing from his backpack. “I washed your sweatpants.” 

“Oh, thank you,” Eren said, shoving the pants into his backpack. Even his ears had turned red and Levi bit his bottom lip to keep himself from smiling. Eren was going to be the death of him. 

“By the way, I told Mikasa about us,” Eren said, rubbing his neck. “She saw me coming home with significantly shorter sweatpants and she didn’t stop harassing me until I gave in.” 

“That’s okay, it’s not a big deal if people know about us.” 

“Then you won’t mind me kissing you right now?” Eren asked, lifting a corner of his mouth. 

“Not one bit,” Levi replied, and put a hand behind Eren’s neck to bring him closer. 

When his lips met Eren’s, his stomach twisted the same way it did the first time and Levi let himself be carried away by the sensation. Eren’s lips were a bit chapped from the cold, but were also warmer than his, and Levi couldn’t stop reaching for that warmth. He would have liked to keep kissing Eren for the rest of the day, but he had to remind himself that they were in a public space and not at home all by themselves. 

When he reluctantly pulled away, Eren’s eyes were beaming and he had a big smile plastered on his face, making him look like a sappy dork, but Levi was sure his face looked the same. 

“It’s time to go to class now,” Levi said, closing his locker and taking a hold of Eren’s hand. 

They made their way through the hallways, until they reached the biology lab where Levi had class. Before parting, Eren bent down to peck Levi’s lips once more. 

As soon as he entered the room, Levi heard a loud squeal coming from where Hange were sat, their hands clenching their sweater and their feet kicking the air. Levi rolled his eyes and dragged his feet to his usual seat, preparing himself to face his friend. 

“Stop right there,” Levi said, holding up his index finger and sitting on the chair. 

“I’m just going to say: I told you,” Hange replied with a huge grin. 

Levi just glared at them. 

“So? How did it happen? Who confessed first? I need the details!” Hange asked. 

“I won’t tell you shit.” 

“Leviii,” Hange whined. “Don’t be mean to me,” they added with a pout. 

“He confessed, alright?” Levi gave in. 

“And then? What did you do? Where did you go?” 

“You’re such a pain in the ass,” Levi said, huffing. “Then we went back to my place, ordered pizza and watched “Doctor Who”.” 

“Are you sure that’s all you did?” Hange asked, wiggling their eyebrows suggestively. 

“Yes,” Levi firmly said. He definitely wasn’t going to share that part of the day with anyone. 

Hange crossed their arms pouting, but Levi wasn’t willing to tell them anything more about Saturday. He held those memories close to his heart and wanted to keep them only for himself. 

After Hange, it was Erwin’s turn to question him when he saw him at his next class, but luckily, he wasn’t as persistent as their other friend and was content with knowing that now Levi and Eren were officially together. When lunchtime arrived, Levi found Eren waiting for him outside his classroom and as soon as he saw Levi his face opened up into a smile and he greeted him with a quick kiss. 

“Who’s the sappy one now?” Erwin asked, leaving the room behind Levi. 

“Still you,” he replied, taking Eren’s hand and heading towards the cafeteria. 

Armin and Mikasa were already waiting for them at one of the tables and they didn’t look surprised at all by Levi’s and Eren’s laced fingers. In fact, Armin was grinning as he looked at the two approaching, while Mikasa continued taking out her lunch, barely hiding the smirk on her lips. 

“Hey, guys,” Armin greeted them. 

“Tell me you guys have some details about these two, because Levi won’t tell me anything,” Hange said, sitting next to Armin. 

“Eren told me some interesting stuff,” Armin started with a smirk. 

“Armin!” Eren said, eyes widening in horror. 

“All I’m gonna say is that Eren kept fangirling all day yesterday.” 

“It’s not true,” Eren said, face flushing. 

“When he came back home on Saturday he was wearing a different pair of sweatpants than when he had left, and they were considerably shorter,” Mikasa said. 

“Mikasa!” Eren exclaimed. His face was even redder than before. 

Levi watched the exchange between the three, amused by Eren’s reaction, and he couldn’t deny that he liked this side of Eren as well. It reminded him of the first time he saw him. 

“I knew it!” Hange said with a satisfied grin. 

“Shut up and eat, Shitty Glasses,” Levi said in a vain attempt to make his friend drop the subject. 

“You can be as rude as you want,” Hange started while they took a bite of their sandwich. “But I’ll always ask for details,” they continued with their mouth full of food and making revolting noises while chewing it. 

“That’s disgusting,” Levi told them, grimacing. 

Hange continued making repulsive noises while eating, but at least they dropped the subject of Levi’s and Eren’s relationship which made both of them relieved. 

Levi ate his lunch while talking to Eren and even if they were in a room full of people, it seemed like there were just the two of them. It was the first time Levi felt so at ease with someone, even when he had met Hange and Erwin for the first time, it took him a lot of time to feel comfortable around them. Not that he felt one hundred percent comfortable around Eren now, he was always unusually conscious of all the gestures he made or of all the things he said or didn’t say that made him feel nervous. There was no need for him to feel like that, though, as Eren always had a smile on his lips and listened to him as if he was the only person in the world. 

Both him and Eren had finished their lunch and there was still a bit of time before classes were starting again, so Levi decided it was time for them to go somewhere more private. 

“Me and Eren are gonna go now, see you later,” he said, grabbing his backpack and standing up. 

Eren looked at him for a moment, before gathering his things as well and following him, leaving their friends behind. 

“Where are we going?” Eren asked him once they left the cafeteria. 

“Somewhere we can be alone,” Levi said. “Or you don’t want to?” he added, looking at Eren concerned. He was so used to giving orders on the court that sometimes that happened in real life as well. 

“Of course I do,” Eren replied with a grin. 

“Good,” Levi said, relieved. 

He led Eren to the gym and then opened the door that led outside, continuing to walk until they reached the stands near the soccer field. Luckily, there was nobody around, so they climbed the steps almost until the top, sitting down in one of the rows at the back. 

As soon as Levi sat, a cold shiver ran through his spine. The seat was practically frozen, and he had forgotten his coat inside. 

“It’s cold as fuck today,” he said, rubbing his hands and blowing on them. “Aren’t you cold?” he asked, looking at Eren who didn’t have a coat either, but seemed unaffected by the temperature. 

“Not really, the cold doesn’t bother me much,” he shrugged. “C’mere, let me warm you up,” he said with a smile. 

He opened his arms for Levi to lean in and when Levi did, feeling already warm because of the blush on his face, he closed them, hugging him tightly. Levi wrapped his arms around Eren’s waist, feeling his body warm up quickly. 

“Better?” Eren asked. 

Levi just nodded, face buried into his chest and breathing in Eren’s scent. When he had suggested they went somewhere alone he had something else in mind but being hugged by Eren wasn’t bad either. 

“Are you free this Saturday?” Eren asked him after a while. 

“Yeah, why?” Levi replied, looking up. 

“I thought that maybe we could go on a date?” Eren suggested. 

“That sounds fun, what do you have in mind?” 

“I don’t know, maybe go to the cinema, have dinner, and just hanging out together,” Eren said. 

“I like the idea,” Levi replied. 

“Yeah?” 

“Yeah.” 

Eren hugged him tighter with a smile on his face and then lowered his head to kiss him. Their lips met for a brief moment before they were forced to separate by the sound of the bell. 

Reluctantly, they stood up and headed back inside. 

When Levi entered the maths classroom, Hange was already waiting for him and he barely had the time to sit down before they started with the interrogation, wiggling their eyebrows suggestively and making not so subtle comments about what Levi and Eren did all alone to keep warm. They soon gave up, however, realising that as always Levi wasn’t going to tell them anything. 

Levi had never been a big fan of maths, in fact he pretty much hated it, so classes were always a torture for him, with all the formulas he didn’t remember, and who the fuck decided to put the alphabet between the numbers anyway? This afternoon, though, the lesson seemed to go by quickly and this may or may not have everything to do with Eren. For as much as he tried to concentrate, his mind quickly drifted off and filled with images of Eren. 

It was the first time he had been in a relationship, or even liked someone enough to be in a relationship with them. Sure, he had kissed a few people before, when he was still trying to figure out his sexuality, but he had never had the desire to be with someone the same way he did with Eren. 

The sole thought of calling Eren his boyfriend was enough to fill his stomach with stupid butterflies and when he got home he absolutely needed to google if it was normal for someone’s heart to be beating this fast, because he was sure he was going to have a stroke sometime soon. 

When afternoon classes were finally over, he went to the lockers to change for basketball practice and hopefully focus his attention on something else that wasn’t green eyes (even if he really didn’t mind). 

The locker room was still pretty empty, which wasn’t unusual as Levi always liked to go as early as possible on the court and practise a bit by himself before the rest of his teammates arrived. This time, however, he took his time putting on the uniform, waiting for Eren to arrive and every time the door opened his eyes darted to it to see who it was. 

When finally the door opened to let Eren in, Levi’s mouth unconsciously turned upwards in a smile that matched Eren’s. They briefly talked, catching up with each other, even if they hadn’t seen each other just for a few hours, and agreed to meet after training to go home together. 

Levi walked into the gym feeling almost stupid for how happy he was. This wasn’t him, he never smiled and the only things that could make him content were cleaning and cats. Humans usually annoyed him, bothered him, and he didn’t want to talk to them, but with Eren everything had changed, and he just wanted to listen to him for days on end. 

“There you are, Levi,” the coach said as soon as Levi stepped foot into the gym. “Come here, I need to talk to you.” 

Levi went to the corner where the coach stood, thinking that he probably wanted to consult him for some new plays. 

“I’ve heard that you want to enrol into Shinganshina University, is that right?” the coach asked when Levi stopped next to him. 

“Yes,” Levi replied taken aback by the direction of the conversation. 

“And I assume you’re going to apply for a sports scholarship?” 

“Yeah.” 

“Well, the coach of the Shinganshina Titans and I are old friends, so this afternoon I called him and asked him if he could come to this Friday’s game to see you play and see if he wants to scout you or not, and he agreed.” 

Levi stood still for a moment, trying to process what the coach just told him. This could be a great opportunity for him to win a scholarship, maybe even the only one he would get. The coach had told him that Mr. Dok and he were friends, but Levi was sure that it had taken him a lot of time to convince him to come to the game this Friday. His schedule was probably full, and it was a two-hour trip from Shinganshina to Trost, so this was the best chance he’d ever get. 

“Thank you, coach, I’ll do my best,” Levi said, fully aware that no words could express his gratitude right now. 

“Don’t worry, Levi,” the coach said. “You’re a good player and you could go really far if you wanted to, I wouldn’t have called him if you were a runt.” 

“I won’t blow this opportunity.” 

“I know you won’t,” the coach said, putting a hand on his shoulder. “Now go and work hard as usual.” 

Once all the players had come out from the lockers, training started, and Levi was more determined than ever to perfection his plays and moves. Shinganshina University was his first college of choice and it would have been a dream to be accepted there and have a scholarship. There were other colleges he didn’t mind, but the one in Shinganshina was the one for him. 

When practise was over, Levi went back to the locker room and while waiting for Eren, he took a shower, mind still on the game on Friday. The opponents weren’t a powerful team but couldn’t be underestimated. They were known for their unpredictable plays and a few times they had been able to beat more powerful teams like Levi’s, even if for just a few points. 

Turning off the water, Levi stepped out of the shower and quickly dried off before going to his locker. There were now more people in the room as also other clubs had finished training and among them there was Eren. He was taking off his dirty uniform before dumping it into his bag and Levi stopped in his track to take a moment and look at him. 

There were trickles of sweat running down his chest, following the lines of his toned abs and Levi should have found the vision disgusting, but the fact that it was Eren made him want to lick away those drops and make sure Eren was clean everywhere. 

“What are you looking at?” Eren said with a smirk, disrupting him from his wet dream. 

“Nothing,” Levi said, quickly going to his locker to put on some clothes. 

Eren looked at him with a knowing look and once Levi got to his locker he whispered into Levi’s ear: 

“What a shame that you’ve already showered, we could have gone in together.” 

“Next time,” Levi replied, raising one corner of his mouth and winking. 

Eren’s Adam apple bobbed up and down as he swallowed, and he knew the same images were crossing their minds. Even if Levi had little to no experience, talking about sex related stuff didn’t make him uncomfortable. That was easy. It was talking about feelings that made things hard for him. 

Once Eren had showered and changed, they made their way towards the exit and walked down the road that led to Levi’s house. Eren’s house was in that direction as well, even if a bit further. 

They walked in silence for a few minutes before Levi decided to tell Eren about the big news. 

“This Friday there’s going to be the coach of Shinganshina University at the game to scout me,” he said. 

“That’s amazing, Levi,” Eren exclaimed, looking at him. “Is that your college of choice?” 

“It is.” 

“I’m sure he’ll want you in his team, you’re the best player I’ve ever seen,” Eren said, smiling. 

“You’re exaggerating,” Levi scoffed. 

“I’m not, I’d say you’re up there with Lebron James.” 

“What profanity are you saying?” Levi said with a chuckle. 

“It’s the truth, babe. You’re simply the best, better than all the rest,” he said in a serious tone. 

“Quoting Tina Turner doesn’t help at all,” Levi said even if he was barely holding back a smile. 

“In all seriousness, I know you’re a great player and whoever doesn’t want you in their team is an idiot,” Eren said. 

“I hope so,” Levi muttered, suddenly feeling more nervous. 

“Come here,” Eren said, grabbing Levi’s wrist and leading him towards a bench on the sidewalk where they sat. 

“The first time I saw you was during one of your practise matches,” he started, looking at Levi in the eyes. “And the moment I saw you play, I couldn’t tear my eyes away from you, you were so fast and graceful, I really wanted to play like you and with you,” he continued. “Well, we know how that went, but even when I had set my mind to hate you, I still went to your games because I admired you and I still do,” he said with a smile. “So when I say you’re like Lebron James I really mean it.” 

Levi looked at him without knowing what to say, so in a lack of words he just put his hand on Eren’s cheek and softly smiled at him. 

“Thank you,” he said, words still failing him. 

Eren smiled at him and then leaned forwards to kiss him, wrapping him between his arms. Levi held him close, trying to convey everything he wanted to say but couldn’t find the words for into that one kiss. He hoped Eren understood how much he valued and appreciated what he said. 

When Eren pulled away, Levi took his face into his hands and looked at him in the eyes. 

“I really mean it,” he said. 

“I know,” Eren replied with a smile. 

Levi kissed him again and even if he and Eren had been together for barely three days, Eren was already becoming an important person in his life. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is always highly appreciated and valued :)  
> Come find me on [ Tumblr ](https://rachel--exe.tumblr.com/) :)


	12. Chapter 12

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I'm back with a new chapter entirely focused on basketball, again I'm not an expert when it comes to this sport, but I tried my best, so correct me if I described something wrong.  
> I wish you a good weekend, and enjoy! :)

For the rest of the week Levi was a bundle of nerves. He spent more time than usual at the gym, practising and perfecting his plays, so that he would be at his full potential for Friday. The coach was following him closely, giving him tips and telling him on what he needed to focus his attention a bit more. Back in the days, he had worked with Mr.Dok for a couple of seasons as consultant for his team, so he knew what his colleague looked for in a player.

As the coach had suggested, Levi had sent Mr.Dok a video with all his best performances and even a short academic curriculum where he showed the courses he was following and the grades he got which then the counsellor had signed. 

Despite the nervousness, Levi was also feeling quite confident in his abilities. He knew he was good, otherwise he wouldn’t be the captain of his team, but he didn’t know if his definition of good was the same as Mr.Dok’s one. University teams were at a different level than high school teams and unless you were a prodigy of sorts, being able to win a scholarship was really hard. There were a lot of students aiming to get into Shinganshina University with a sports scholarship, so Levi had to prove he was better than the others, otherwise he could very well forget about it. It also didn’t help the fact that Levi was most definitely very late in applying for a sports scholarship which meant that there were probably only one or two left. 

Because of his training regime he didn’t spend a lot of time with Eren, which was a let down for him, but he was looking forward to Saturday when he could spend as much time as he wanted with him and maybe do a little more than just chaste kisses on the lips. 

The only moments they spent together were during lunch break when the two of them went to the steps of the soccer field and, wrapped around each other, they could finally be alone. 

“I wish I didn’t have a game tomorrow evening,” Eren told Levi on Thursday while they were sat at their usual spot. 

“Don’t worry, I’m sure Hange will make plenty of videos,” Levi said, snuggling closer to him. It was yet another cold day and Eren was always so warm that Levi couldn’t resist him. 

“It’s not the same,” Eren retorted. “Maybe I could come back really quickly after my game ended.” 

“There’s no need,” Levi said, looking at him. “We’ll have plenty of time on Saturday to be together, and you need to be focused on your game, not thinking about me.” 

“As if that was that easy, I’m always thinking about you.” 

Levi suddenly felt really hot as his face flushed red. Eren never filtered his words when it came to expressing his feelings and Levi still had to get used to it, so in the meantime he just turned red whenever Eren said something like that. 

“Well, for one evening you’ll have to think about something else,” he muttered. 

Eren chuckled and wrapped his arms more tightly around Levi, before lowering his head and brushing Levi’s nose with his own. Levi tilted his head to the side, closing the short distance between the two of them and circling Eren’s neck with his hands. Eren leaned into the touch, humming in contentment, as their lips moved together. 

Levi ran a hand through Eren’s hair, tugging at it and sucking his bottom lip, nibbling it before swiftly pushing his tongue inside Eren’s mouth. Eren’s hum turned into a whine and he eagerly pressed his tongue onto Levi’s while his hands travelled up and down Levi’s back. 

The cold hair felt nice on Levi’s heated cheeks and even if he wasn’t as cold as he was before, the movements of Eren’s hands sent shivers down his spine. He really wished they weren’t at school in that moment, but somewhere more private, where there were just the two of them for an indefinite amount of time. 

Levi pressed his body closer to Eren’s, needing to be as close to him as he could without being suspended. Their tongues still tangled with each other, tasting and exploring each other in an insatiable hunger. All the worries in Levi’s mind were being swiped away by Eren’s touches and the only coherent thought in his mind was Eren’s name. 

Levi was starting to feel a little dizzy for the short income of oxygen and for all the things Eren was doing to him. He pulled away to finally breathe and noticed he was practically sat on Eren’s lap while his jeans were starting to get uncomfortable. He looked at Eren whose cheeks were a deep shade of pink and whose breath was coming out short and he was sure he wasn’t in better condition. 

Eren hugged him tightly and buried his face into his chest, inhaling deeply before speaking. 

“I really hope we can continue from here on Saturday,” he said, breath still laboured. 

“Me too,” Levi replied and the thoughts about the game were being replaced by images of Eren panting underneath him. 

For the rest of the day and most of the following one, Levi’s nerves had calmed down and he was feeling a lot more confident. The conversation he had had with Eren on Monday helped him with that, but ultimately, he knew he had worked hard since day one and this game wasn’t that different from any other one. Sure, there was someone in the crowd that would be evaluating him, but the game in itself wasn’t anything he couldn’t handle. He had done it countless times before and he would do it this time as well. 

He and Eren had to say goodbye in the afternoon as Eren had a game in another town and even if he tried not to, Levi was feeling quite dejected because of it. Eren was becoming an important part in his life fast, almost too fast, and that scared him. Throughout his whole life Levi had learned to be independent and keep his relationships barely above acquaintances, but now the barriers he had set up were all falling down because of Eren and he didn’t know if he was ready for it. 

In the locker room he changed slowly, listening to music to get his mind to focus, and once ready he headed to the gym, still a bit of time on the clock before the game was officially starting. 

When he stepped foot into the gym, he immediately spotted the coach talking to a tall middle-aged man that he assumed was Mr.Dok. The coach was facing his way, so he easily saw him enter the gym and called him over to him. 

“There you are, Levi,” he said as soon as Levi reached the two men. “Let me introduce you my old friend, coach of the Shinganshina Titans.” 

“Nice to finally meet you, Levi,” the man said, sticking out his hand for Levi to shake. “Your coach wouldn’t stop bragging about you, so I had to come to one of your games.” 

“I hope he didn’t exaggerate too much,” Levi replied, shaking his hand. 

“Judging by the videos you sent me I’d say he didn’t.” 

“Thank you, sir.” 

“The game is about to begin,” the coach said. “Go warm up,” he told Levi. 

Levi nodded and then left the two men, going to meet his teammates for a bit of stretching and warming up. He scanned the seats full of people and spotted Hange sat in the second row, right in the middle of the line. When their eyes met, Hange shot up from their seat and started to blow their usual horns from hell, deafening the people around them and gaining glares from the court. They obviously didn’t care as they continued to blow the horns and shout Levi’s name. By now, Levi was used to their behaviour and honestly people could just go fuck themselves. 

When the referee signalled that the game was starting, the two teams gathered on the court and each player took his position. Levi quickly looked at the opponents, recognising some faces from the previous times they had met, while others were new. As always, the members of his team were Mike, Oluo, Erd and Gunther, but during the second half there were going to be some changes for sure. Some of the new members were ready to play in official matches and the coach wanted to swap the players to create a new and unpredictable team. 

Mike and another tall player from the other team positioned themselves in the circle in the mid-court with the referee between them with the ball in hand. When the whistle blew, and the ball was thrown in the hair, both players jumped high, stretching their arms to touch the ball first and tip it to a teammate. 

Mike was able to touch the ball first and direct it towards Erd who was immediately surrounded by two opponents. He bounced the ball close to the ground to make it hard for his opponents to steal it while he scanned the court to find a free player. The defence had put a tall player to mark Levi and Oluo, thinking that it was enough, but they hadn’t taken into consideration Levi’s speed. It was in moments like this that Levi was grateful for his height as it allowed him to quickly run past his opponent and back Erd up. 

One of the players marking Erd averted his eyes to look at Levi and that second of distraction was enough for Erd to run past him, dribble around the other opponents and pass the ball to Gunther to the side who started running towards the goal. He was closely marked by another player, but he turned around and passed the ball to Mike who from the three-point line shot to the hoop and scored the first three points of the match. 

A loud roar came from the spectators, and the points raised the mood of the team as well, but Levi still hadn’t touched the ball and now felt the urge to feel the rough fabric under his fingertips and do what he did best: play basketball. 

Now it was time for the opponents to attack and all the ten players on the court were running to the other hoop, five to score and five to defend. Levi was running after the player with the ball, trying to intercept the pass he was about to make. The opponent tried to fool him, but Levi easily saw past his move and snatched the ball before turning on his heels and running back to the other hoop. 

He looked around to assess the situation, noticing that the guy that was supposed to mark Mike wasn’t able to keep up with him, so with a bounce he passed the ball to his teammate and ran forward. The other players quickly caught up to them and now the way to the basket was blocked by a wall of three people. Levi was standing behind his teammates where he tried to lose the guy marking him. With a feint he got himself free and Mike swiftly passed him the ball. Levi moved to the right side of the court where there were no opponents and ran until he was near the hoop, dodging the players that were trying to stop him. From his position he saw Erd coming in through the middle of the court and tossed him the perfect ball for a dunk, making them gain two more points. 

The first half of the game was almost dominated by Levi’s team, the other players couldn’t keep up with their pace and their teamwork. It was clear that some of their members hadn’t integrated well and they hadn’t the same chemistry Levi and his teammates had spent years building. Levi had forgot that there was more to this game than just gaining points. His mind was in full basketball mode and the only things he could think and do were making his team win. 

He knew he was playing one of his best games and was high on the feeling. His eyes constantly looked for weak spots and half-assed passes to steal the ball and score. As the point guard it was his job to set up the best offensive plays possible for his teammates, but that didn’t mean that he never got to shoot. Whenever a good opportunity presented itself he didn’t back down and had already scored several points by himself. 

During the break between the two halves of the game, he discussed possible moves with his teammates as always and made sure that also the other players on the bench understood what they had to do when they entered the court. It was fundamental that everyone was on the same page and as captain, Levi made sure that everyone knew what they were supposed to do once they entered the court. 

“You’re doing great today, Levi,” the coach told him as Levi was resting before going back into the court. “I’m sure Mr.Dok is impressed,” he added, looking at the seat where his friend was sat. 

“Thanks, coach,” Levi replied, huffing. He didn’t want to dwell on it too much and needed to keep his head in the game, so he tried to block any thoughts that might distract him 

The second half started as the first one had ended: with Levi’s team in offense. Their rhythm was steady and their plays impeccable, but something had shifted in the opponents’ attitude. Levi clearly understood that when a player didn’t think twice before pushing him to the side to get the ball, making him lose his balance. The referee signalled the foul and gave Levi’s team the ball, but the other team was barely fazed by it as they continued to charge at Levi. By now they had understood that he was the core of the team and that the most dangerous plays were coming from him, so they tried to isolate him and avoid any chances of him having the ball. 

If there was one thing that always pissed Erd, Oluo, Mike and Gunther off, it was when other players thought that they were just puppets into Levi’s hands. They had great esteem and respect for Levi, but they didn’t feel inferior to him in the slightest. This is why they took it into their hands to show the other players that they were good as a team and as individuals. If anything, their obsession with Levi made it easier for them to move freely across the court and score more. 

Seeing their strategy fail, only made the other team more aggressive and violent and now all the players were having their share of elbows in the ribs, pushes and hits. If they thought that this was going to scare Levi and his team they were deadly wrong as it only had the consequence of stirring them more. They scored point after point and it would have taken a miracle for the other team to catch up to them. 

It was almost the end of the first section of the second half when Gunther stole the ball from a weak pass and started to run towards the other part of the court. The guy chasing him was trying his best to hit his arm and make him lose the ball, so Gunther shot his ball to his right where Levi was. As soon as he got the ball, Levi bounced it close to the ground while looking at the position of the players on the court. Everyone of his teammates was being marked by one of the defence, so he decided to free himself and run for the basket, hoping one of his teammates would free himself as well in the meantime. 

He dodged the guy in front of him and ran past him, but as he was heading towards the basket he felt something hard hit his ankle and he fell on the ground, unable to keep his balance. The referee quickly blew his whistle and stopped the game to let Levi get up again, but for as much as he tried, Levi couldn’t stand up. 

His ankle was broken. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are highly appreciated! :)  
> My [ Tumblr ](https://rachel--exe.tumblr.com/)


	13. Chapter 13

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Before saying anything else, I want to thank you for leaving so many comments on last week's chapter, despite the angst, it made me really happy and I'm glad you're as involved in the story as I am :)  
> I'm just going to warn you that the next chapters are going to be really sappy and cheesy (hence why the tag), but apparently I have no self-restrain when it comes to fluff and I can't help myself, I NEED to write Levi and Eren being disgustingly in love with each other!  
> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy! :)

Levi was sat on his bed, angrily looking at the bandaged ankle in front of him. He had been staring at it for hours, blaming it for what had happened on the court and ruining his chance to get a scholarship. He might have played well the day before, but Levi was sure that Mr.Dok wasn’t going to call him now and he couldn’t blame him, nobody wanted to scout an injured player.

The doctor had told him that it was just a sprain and that in a few weeks it would heal, but he would need to do some physiotherapy to make sure that the torn ligaments had healed properly, so for this semester he could forget about playing again. Thankfully, the shoes and the ankle braces he always wore did their job, so the injury was a relatively minor one and the recovery time was quite short, but now that his ligaments had weakened, who could tell that this wasn’t going to happen again? 

His gaze moved from the ankle to the crutches next to his bedroom door where he had left them the previous night when he had come home after seeing the doctor. Hange had driven him back home and helped him up the stairs even through the series of curses and his stubborn “I can do it by myself” he had spat in their face. They had literary tucked him in bed and brought everything he might need to his bedroom, including some ice they had applied to his ankle. They had even suggested bringing him a bowl for him to pee in, but Levi threatened them to glue the bowl on their head if they didn’t leave immediately. He knew he had been harsher than usual with them and that he needed to apologise, but in that moment, he was beyond angry. 

Not only was he pissed off about the injury, but also about the fact that he had to skip practise and the remaining matches before Christmas break. This was the first time since he joined the team that he wouldn’t be able to play basketball and it drove him mad. Basketball was a fundamental for him, when people asked him what he did in his life he simply told them that he played basketball. Even during holidays, rainy and snowy days, he would always find a bit of free time to bounce the ball and shoot at the basket, either by himself or with some of his teammates. Now he had to sit and watch from the bench. 

He had slept only a few hours that night, the turmoil of emotions inside of him kept him from falling asleep. It was a little before sunrise now and Levi was replaying in his head what happened the day before for the thousandth time. The face of the asshole that thought it was a good idea to step on his ankle kept popping up onto his mind and fueled his anger even more. The shithead didn’t even apologise to him, or ask him if he was okay, and when the referee expelled him from the court he had a disbelieving look on his face, as if he hadn’t done anything to deserve it. 

Levi took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down. Being angry wasn’t going to solve anything, but it was enough to cover all his other emotions. He didn’t want to think about the pitiful look that his coach was going to have when he’d tell him he didn’t get the scholarship, or the fear of never fully recover and having to start the games from the bench until the end of the school year. 

He took his phone to distract himself from such thoughts, but it only reminded him of the jerk he had been towards Eren the previous night. When he got out of the infirmary he had texted him, telling him about the injury and cancelling the date they had planned and then turned off his phone, ignoring the calls he was receiving from Eren. Again, he stubbornly thought he was able to handle things alone and that he didn’t need anyone to comfort him. 

The sound of his uncle moving around the house brought him back to reality, and he closely listened to his movements until he was sure he was gone before standing up and reaching for the crutches. He awkwardly walked to the bathroom where he attempted to take a shower, but was too unsure on his only good leg to feel confident that he wouldn’t fall and break some other part of his body. He washed himself as best as he could in the sink, brushed his teeth and put his pyjamas back on. 

He didn’t feel hungry at all, but he did fancy a cup of tea, so holding onto the banister he slowly made his way down the stairs, still cursing his ankle, and then reached the kitchen. Walking the stairs up again with the hot beverage in his hand was going to be tricky, so he had to admit defeat and settle for drinking his tea in the living room with a basketball game on TV. He sat on the couch with his leg stretched in front of his and an ice pack on his ankle. For the first time, basketball didn’t help him forget about his problems as the question of whether or not he was going to perfectly recover and be able to play again kept crossing his mind. 

He didn’t have any plans for the day other than being mad at the world, so once the game ended he went back to his room where he felt calmer and more comfortable and took the PC in his lap, browsing the internet in hope to find something to distract himself with. 

When he had reached the point where he had resorted to watching cute cat videos to lift his mood, the doorbell rang. Levi looked at the clock on the computer screen and saw that it wasn’t even nine in the morning. He wasn’t expecting anyone, and he didn’t feel like going down those damned stairs again, so he decided to just ignore the sound and go back to the video of a fluffy cat playing with a ball. 

Whoever it was, though, was really persistent and kept pressing the doorbell for five minutes straight at which point Levi felt the urge to go downstairs and insult them. He took the annoying crutches again and started making his way downstairs with the sound of the doorbell as soundtrack for his descent. With a final curse, he reached the last step and headed towards the door. He opened it with the most murderous glare he could, but when he saw who was on his doorstep, it quickly faded away. 

“Hi,” Eren said with a sheepish smile. He was wearing a dark grey hoodie and a pair of jeans and his hair was styled in his usual messy bun, and suddenly, Levi felt incredibly uncomfortable in his pyjamas and bed hair. 

“Hi,” Levi said and all the missed calls he had on his phone hit him in a wave of regret. 

“Can I come in?” Eren asked, his eyes landing on the crutches and the bandaged ankle. 

“Yeah, sure,” Levi replied and awkwardly moved aside to let Eren in. 

“Do you want something to eat?” Levi asked. “Did you have breakfast?” 

“Yeah, I ate something before coming here,” Eren replied, rubbing the back of his neck. 

“Alright.” 

They stood in the entryway without saying a word. Levi could tell that Eren was feeling uneasy by the way he kept shifting from foot to foot and looked everywhere around him, but never at Levi. He guessed it was because of his message last night and all the calls he had ignored, maybe he was thinking that Levi was going to break up with him or something equally unlikely. Levi realised now that ignoring Eren had been a poor decision, but in that moment of vulnerability, he didn’t want anyone’s help. He had been doing fine dealing with this kind of things by himself up until now, he had always tried to be as independent as possible and ask for help only when it was absolutely necessary, so relying on someone else was something new for him. 

It was a terrible excuse for how coldly he had treated Eren and if he wanted their relationship to continue, he would need to open up, let people into his life to a degree he had never allowed anyone to know him. It was something that scared him, but looking at Eren, for the first time he felt like he wanted to be known and accepted because he wanted to know every single thing about Eren and help him though his though times. 

“I’m sor-” Levi started to say. 

“How-” Eren said at the same time. 

They smiled at each other before Eren spoke. 

“Go ahead,” he said. 

“No, it’s fine, you first,” Levi told him as his stomach turned into a knot. 

“How’s your ankle?” Eren asked with worry in his eyes. 

Levi looked down at his ankle and huffed. 

“It’s just a stupid sprain, nothing serious, but I won’t be able to play until the next semester.” 

“I’m sorry to hear that,” Eren said. “At least it’s not broken.” 

“Yeah, I guess,” Levi said before taking a deep breath and speaking again. “I’m sorry for last night,” he started. “I was really pissed off, and I’ve been an ass to you. I shouldn’t have ignored you like that, I know you were worried, but I just wanted to be alone.” 

“Don’t worry, I understand, it happens to me as well.” 

“It’s just…,” Levi took another deep breath. “I’m not used to sharing anything about my life with anyone, especially the bad stuff, I’ve always dealt with things by myself and I don’t know how this,” he moved his hand to indicate him and Eren, “works, but I want to make it work.” 

He had said the last part in a tone barely above a whisper and he quickly averted his eyes, cheeks blushing from the confession. 

“I want it to work too,” Eren said and Levi met his eyes again, noticing the little crinkles around them from his smile. “I’ve been an idiot for too long to waste this chance with you, so I’ll wait until you’re ready.” 

Levi’s face flushed red and his heart skipped a beat as Eren said he would wait for him. It would take him a bit of time to fully accept the fact that he wasn’t alone anymore, that he could rely on someone else for help and support. Until he had met Hange, he had never had a real friend as his permanent scowl and his manners had put off a lot of children (and parents) and even then, it had always been them talking to him and sitting at the same table until Levi understood that there was no way to send them away and he started to enjoy their company. The same happened when Hange introduced him to Erwin and until Eren came around they were the only friends he had needed. With Eren, however, he wanted something more, something deeper. His feelings were a lot different and he still couldn’t quite understand them as he had never felt like this for anyone. If he wanted his relationship to last, he would need to be willing to share more of himself and wrap his head around the idea that Eren was there for him. 

Levi’s mouth turned up into a small smile and he moved closer to Eren, placing a hand on his cheek and gently stroking it while he kept the crutches in the other hand. Eren took Levi’s hand and lightly squeezed it, before bringing it to his lips and kissing it with so much affection in his eyes that it took Levi aback for a moment. It was something he had never experienced and as he kept gazing into those green eyes, he realised that he was having a lot of first times with Eren that were awakening a part of himself that had been dormant for a long time. 

“Do you need to go home soon?” Levi whispered, afraid that every tone above it would break the bubble around them. 

“No,” Eren whispered back, stroking Levi’s hand. “I can stay if you want.” 

“Let’s go upstairs then,” Levi said and headed towards the staircase with his hand still in Eren’s. 

“Let me help you,” Eren said, moving closer to him. 

“There’s no need, I can do it,” Levi retorted with the good foot already on one of the steps. 

“I know you can, but I want to help you anyway,” Eren said with a gentle smile. 

Levi looked at him with his bottom lip caught between his teeth. He told himself he had to start with the little things and leaning on Eren to climb the stairs wasn’t that much of a big deal. 

“Alright,” he gave in and was ready to wrap his arm around Eren, when he was suddenly lifted up from the ground and found himself in Eren’s arms. 

“I hurt my ankle, not both of my legs,” he complained, frowning. 

“C’mon, babe,” Eren said. “I’m just helping you with the stairs, I promise I won’t carry you around like this at school.” 

Levi narrowed his eyes at him. “Fine,” he complied, circling Eren’s shoulders with one arm while he carried the crutches in the other hand. 

Eren smiled at him and pressed his lips to his cheek, before climbing up the stairs and taking Levi to his room. 

Levi’s bedroom was simple, there was a single bed with one bedside table on the right corner of the room, a dresser and a wardrobe to the left and a desk and a chair almost in front of the door. He had some shelves on the wall next to the door where he had put the trophies he had won, a basketball and some books he had read. 

Eren put Levi down on the bed, next to the PC that was still open and then sat next to him. 

“Cat videos?” he asked as a corner of his mouth quirked up. 

“Shut up,” Levi said, bumping onto his shoulder and quickly closing the tab. 

Eren chuckled at the comment and Levi rolled his eyes, but he was happy as well, his mood having taken a complete turn from mere minutes before. 

“What do you want to do?” he asked. “Watch a movie or something?” 

“A movie sounds good,” Eren replied. 

They sat next to each other with their heads on the headrest, bodies flushed close as the size of the bed didn’t allow for much room and Eren had to sit with half of his body in the gap between the bed and the wall. It wasn’t a comfortable position, but he had insisted that Levi had to rest his ankle and couldn’t sit in that awkward way. 

Levi had the PC on his lap and they searched though the Netflix catalogue to find something to watch, settling in the end for a Marvel movie they had both already watched but didn’t mind watching again. 

As the movie started, Eren wrapped an arm around Levi’s shoulders and buried his face into Levi’s hair when Levi rested his head on his chest. Levi could hear Eren’s heartbeat speed up, matching the rhythm of his own. 

Levi’s eyes were fixed on the screen in front of him, but his mind wasn’t registering what they were seeing, too busy noticing the light touches Eren was leaving on his shoulder, and when Eren started to leave little kisses on the top of his head he knew that they weren’t going to watch much of the movie. 

Eren’s lips moved lower, kissing his temple, his cheekbone and behind his ear, making Levi squirm under the gentle touches. Levi turned his head and Eren immediately caught his lips in a quick kiss. 

“Do you really want to watch the movie?” Eren asked when their eyes met. 

“No,” Levi replied as a corner of his mouth turn upwards. 

“Me neither,” Eren said with a grin. 

Levi paused the movie and closed his pc before putting it on the ground beside the bed. He turned towards Eren who was still grinning and covered his mouth with his own. Eren encircled his figure with both his arms and slowly pressed him onto the mattress, until Levi was laying on his back with Eren on top of him. 

Levi wrapped his arms around Eren’s shoulders, taking Eren’s bottom lip between his teeth and nibbling it. Eren’s lips parted and Levi pushed his tongue past them, intertwining it with Eren’s. He ran a hand through Eren’s hair, undoing his messy bun. His hair was now tickling Levi’s cheeks and Levi could smell Eren’s scent everywhere around him, a mixture of pine and mint that his brain already recognised as Eren’s. 

Eren moved from Levi’s mouth to his neck, where he started to leave open mouthed kisses up and Levi had to bite his bottom lip to prevent a moan from escaping his mouth. Eren’s touches were sending shivers down his spine and melting all coherent thoughts, leaving Levi a panting mess underneath him. The shortcoming of breath was also caused by how his chest was tightening with fondness for Eren to the point of almost hurting, but as Eren kept leaving gentle kisses on his skin, Levi never wanted him to stop, a part of him craving that affection he hadn’t experienced since his mom had died. 

Eren pushed Levi’s shirt up, exposing the pale skin of his stomach and bent down to kiss it. Levi’s cock twitched at the feeling of Eren’s lips so close to it and Levi unconsciously jerked his hips upwards in search of friction. Eren looked up at him with a smirk and never broke the eye contact as he slowly lowered Levi’s pyjama pants and underwear, freeing Levi’s cock that stood erect in front of him. 

“Eren…” Levi moaned and reached for Eren’s hair, running his hand through it reassuringly. 

Eren left small kisses on Levi’s cock before licking the head and Levi threw his head on the pillow, closing his eyes as Eren started to take him deeper into his mouth. 

“Fuck,” he hissed, and bucked his hips forwards, digging his ankles into the bed. 

There was a shot of pain that ran through his body, but was soon replaced by the feeling of Eren’s hot mouth all around him and Levi had to grit his teeth to avoid coming there and then. He had never felt that good in his entire life, his whole body was on fire and he wanted Eren to keep doing whatever he was doing. 

Eren swirled his tongue around Levi’s cock, and it was a good thing that he was holding Levi by his waist as Levi unconsciously bucked his hips up again. Eren slowly pulled away, sucking and licking as he did so, and Levi felt the cool air of the room hit his skin when Eren’s mouth completely left him. 

This didn’t last long, however, and Eren was soon holding Levi’s cock in his hand, licking it, while with the other he began to fondle Levi’s balls. It was a completely new experience for Levi and he was surprised he hadn’t come yet. He couldn’t say that Eren was an expert at this as his teeth had grazed his cock a few times and his movements were stiff, but he was already happy Eren was even doing this to him and he felt so good that he didn’t care at all. 

Eren’s mouth was circling around him again and Levi knew he wasn’t going to last much longer when Eren looked up at him with eyes blown wide as he kept sucking him. The vision was downright erotic and a whine left Levi’s mouth at seeing it. 

“Eren,” Levi moaned, pleasure running through him. 

Eren hummed around him, the sound vibrating through Levi’s whole body, and he moved his hand from around Levi’s balls to his nipple, massaging and pinching it while continuing to lick his cock. 

This was all too much for Levi and overwhelmed by pleasure, Levi mumbled some kind of warning, before coming in Eren’s mouth. 

Eren pulled away from his cock, wiping his lips, and then laid on one side next to him. Levi turned his head to kiss him and could taste himself on Eren’s lips, but he didn’t care. He pulled away still panting and laid on his back with his eyes closed. 

“Was it good?” Eren asked and there was a hint of uncertainty in his tone. 

Levi opened his eyes and looked at him. “The best I’ve ever felt in my entire life.” 

Eren bit back a smile and leaned in to kiss him, holding Levi’s face between his hands. The kiss quickly moved from a mere meeting of lips to something deeper and their tongues were soon dancing around each other. Levi moved one of his legs to intertwine it with Eren’s and felt the bulge in Eren’s pants press against it. 

He smirked on Eren’s lips and moved his hands to unbutton Eren’s jeans and take his cock in his hand. Until now he had been on the receiving hand, but he wanted to make Eren feel as good as him. As soon as he touched him, Eren let out a relieved moan, and their positions were quickly turned with Levi on top of him, stroking his cock. 

Levi pressed his lips on Eren’s, taking his bottom lip between his teeth and biting it, causing Eren to moan louder and fuck himself in Levi’s hand. Levi’s lips found their way to Eren’s right earlobe, and then lower to his neck and collar bones. Levi removed his hand from Eren’s cock, making Eren whine, but just enough to strip Eren of his hoodie and leave his chest bare. 

His hand was back on Eren’s cock while his lips continued to travel further down, until they met one of Eren’s nipples and closed around it. Levi took it between his teeth and bit it before licking and sucking it. 

Eren was now writhing under his ministrations, moaning and calling Levi’s name, begging him to make him come. Levi stroked him faster and had barely the time to twist his hand that Eren was coming, painting his chest with his come. 

Levi rolled next to him and kissed his cheek before standing up and heading towards the bathroom to grab a clean towel. He slowly made his way across the corridor as his sprained ankle was hurting more than it had in the morning, but he barely paid any attention to it, mind filled with thoughts of Eren. 

When he went back to his room, Eren was still laying on the bed with his eyes closed and only when he felt Levi clean him, he opened them and smiled at him. 

“Thank you,” he murmured. 

Once he had cleaned Eren, Levi laid beside him again and was soon wrapped in Eren’s arms, his breath ghosting on his face as he spoke. 

“How’s your ankle?” he asked. 

“It’s fine,” Levi said, not that worried about it anymore. 

“I should have been more careful,” Eren retorted . 

“If it was hurting I would have told you.” 

“Are you sure?” Eren asked, still worried. 

“Yes, Eren,” Levi replied, leaving a small kiss on Eren’s cheek. 

Eren hugged him tighter and buried his face in Levi’s chest, inhaling deeply before relaxing. Levi mindlessly ran a hand thought his long hair, feeling content and calm. In the back of his mind there was still the worry about his scholarship, but it had consistently decreased since the morning and now he just wanted to spend the rest of the day with Eren in his arms, talking about stupid things or just staying silent, enjoying each other’s company. 

He felt all his limbs heavy and the tiredness was finally taking over him, after the almost sleepless night he had had. He fell asleep with the sound of Eren’s regular breath lulling him and his body heat keeping him warm. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are appreciated :)  
> My [ Tumblr ](https://rachel--exe.tumblr.com/)


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I'm so glad I managed to edit this chapter in time for today, I thought I wasn't going to make it, but I'm happy I did, I really want to update as regularly as possible and I haven't missed a day yet, yay! :)  
> This chapter is again full of fluff and I feel like Levi is getting a bit out of character (not that he ever was tbh), but I hope I'll adjust it in the next chapters.  
> Once again, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy :)

When Levi woke up on Sunday morning he barely spared a glance to his ankle and with a huff, he stood up from the bed, taking the crutches and making his way to the bathroom. He closed the toilet seat and sat on it before putting his foot on the bidet and removing the bandages. They weren’t as tight as when the doctor had put them, and they were becoming quite dirty, making Levi grimace even more every time he looked at them. He still glared at his swollen ankle every time his eyes fell on it, which was quite often, but he was slowly starting to accept the fact that he had to stay on the bench until the new year.

Having to sit out a few games wasn’t that much of a big deal as it was having ruined his chance at a scholarship. It could be a good thing to take a step back and look at how his team was doing and see what was working and what wasn’t, so even if he wasn’t actively playing he could still be useful and come up with new strategies. However, the fact that he had wasted his only chance of getting into Shinganshina University was really disappointing and what was even more frustrating was that it wasn’t his fault. If he was lucky enough maybe a coach from another university would accept to come and see him play early next year, but it was already pretty late and there might not be any scholarships left for him and without one he wouldn’t be able to go to college without being indebted for the rest of his life. 

_Deep breaths, Levi, deep breaths, _Levi told himself as he finished to wash his ankle and put on some clean bandages.__

__For the first time in his life, Levi didn’t feel like showering, so after brushing his teeth and washing his face, he made his way out of the bathroom and headed downstairs. He made himself some breakfast and this was the time when on Sundays he usually went out to play some basketball by himself, but since that was out question, he didn’t really know what to do. He had some homework to do, but it was still early in the morning and he didn’t feel like studying yet. On TV there were probably going to be old games he had already watched, and the rest of TV programs were just some stupid reality shows that he couldn’t care less about._ _

__He went upstairs and tided up his room as much as he could. He knew he wasn’t supposed to put much weight on his ankle for at least a few days, but he needed something to do and cleaning had always managed to calm his nerves. While he changed the sheets of his bed he was reminded of the hours he had spent with Eren the day before. At the thought, a small smile appeared on his face and he felt so much like those love stuck teenagers that he couldn’t stand and that he always glared at, that he was almost ashamed of himself._ _

__After napping for a bit after their little workout session, Eren had stayed over for lunch and went home only late in the afternoon. They had spent the day openly talking with each other and Levi had confessed his fears to Eren, allowing himself to be vulnerable in front of another person, something that hadn’t happened in a very long time. He had almost expected Eren to dismiss his fears as something stupid or not to care at all about them, but instead Eren had listened to him and tried to convince him that not everything was lost until Mr.Dok called him. Levi didn’t want to get his hopes too high, so he still had some doubts, but just the fact that Eren had listened to him and had been there for him had made him feel better._ _

__Every time Eren showed this kind of kindness to him, Levi was surprised and didn’t know how to react in front of it. It was something he wasn’t used to and had never really experience in his life. He had a vague memory of his mom, so he didn’t know if his memories of her being loving and kind were real or just something his mind had made up, but he certainly didn’t have the same kind of memories when he thought about the years he had been spending with his uncle._ _

__Levi spent a good part of the morning cleaning his room, sorting out the things in his closet and bedside table drawers that were surprisingly full of crap he didn’t even know he owned. For the most part he tried to sit on something like his bed or a chair, not wanting to damage his ankle even more. Once he was finished he decided it was time to do some homework and after making himself a cup of tea, he sat at his desk._ _

__He quickly worked his way through the homework, glad to be able to finish it sooner than he had anticipated. He was doing some math equations from hell when his phone vibrated on the bedside table. He looked at it annoyed by the fact that he had to stand up, but he was also hoping that it was Eren and at the thought his heart skipped a beat. Once he reached his phone, however, on the screen there was a number he had never seen and, a bit hesitantly, he unlocked it._ _

__“Hello?” Levi said._ _

__“Good morning, Levi,” a male voice said on the line. “I’m Mr.Dok, I hope I didn’t wake you up.”_ _

__“Good morning,” Levi said, sitting on the bed. “I was already awake.”_ _

__“Good. Your coach gave me your number because I wanted to talk to you.”_ _

__“Oh, alright,” Levi replied, a sense of dread taking over him._ _

__“How’s your ankle?”_ _

__“I sprained it, the doctor said it’s nothing serious, but I won’t be able to play until the next semester.”_ _

__“I’m glad to hear that. I was worried it was something worse, seeing the way your opponent came onto you at the game. If I was his coach I wouldn’t let him play again until he learned what fair play means.”_ _

__“Yeah,” Levi said, he couldn’t understand where the conversation was going nor what he was supposed to say._ _

__“Anyway, you must be wondering why I called you,” Mr.Dok said as if reading Levi’s mind. “I wanted to talk to you about your scholarship,” he continued while Levi’s heart started to pound in his chest. “You’re a great player, Levi, you know how to direct the team and your teammates trust you, that it’s obvious.”_ _

__He paused for a moment and Levi didn’t know how to reply, so he muttered a brief “yes”._ _

__“I’ve been on the lookout for a player like you for some time now, it’s hard to find a good point guard, a lot of people that apply for a scholarship are shooting guards, so I need players like you, Levi,” Mr.Dok said. “Your injury is nothing to worry about, I’ve seen players recover from worse things, so if you’re still interested I’m ready to scout you.”_ _

__Levi blinked a few times, not sure if his ears had betrayed him. After a few seconds went by, he realised he needed to give Mr.Dok a reply._ _

__“Yes, of course I’m still interested,” he quickly said. “Thank you, sir.”_ _

__“Don’t mention it, Levi,” Mr.Dok said in a cheerful voice. “I would be a fool to let you go, I’ve seen the videos from other games you’ve played, and your technique is impeccable. Plus, I’ve only heard good things about you from your coach and I’m sure he wouldn’t stop bothering me if I didn’t scout you.”_ _

__Mr.Dok chuckled and Levi smiled with him._ _

__“Well, I’ll leave you to your things now,” Mr.Dok said. “Make sure to rest and recover quickly. Don’t overuse your ankle once you’ve healed, you don’t want a simple sprain to become something worse.”_ _

__“I won’t,” Levi replied._ _

__They said their good byes and then Levi was left to wonder about what had just happened. He still couldn’t believe he had the chance to go to his college of choice instead of settling for something else. When he first heard it was Mr.Dok he was sure he was calling him to tell him that he didn’t want him in his team, so to be told he didn’t have to give up on his dream was surreal. He had been worrying about it for two nights straight and he really didn’t want to go somewhere he didn’t like or wait a few more years until he had enough money to live by._ _

__A simile spread on Levi’s face as he was unable to contain his happiness. He unlocked his phone again and sent a quick message to Eren._ _

__**Me: Mr.Dok just called me to say the scholarship is mine :))**_ _

__It was late in the morning, so Levi hoped Eren was awake because he needed to talk to someone about it and he wanted that someone to be Eren. He would have texted Hange and Erwin as well later, he knew they were both worried about him, but for now he wanted to talk to Eren._ _

__A few minutes after he had sent the text, his phone buzzed, and Levi quickly unlocked it._ _

__**Eren: That’s amazing! I knew you would have made it :D**_ _

__**Eren: I told you, fucking Lebron!**_ _

__Levi chuckled at the last message, had Eren ever seen a basketball game with Lebron James? Levi doubted it, but he didn’t really care._ _

__He was still staring at what Eren had sent him when a new message popped up._ _

__**Eren: What are you doing to celebrate it?**_ _

__Celebrate? Levi didn’t usually do anything to celebrate special occasions, not even his birthday. Until he became friends with Hange and Erwin no one had ever given him a present either._ _

__**Me: Nothing? I’m just going to study and then watch some basketball.**_ _

__**Eren: What? Are you serious?! I’m so taking you out for lunch!**_ _

__Had Eren hit his head that morning?_ _

__**Me: There’s no need for you to do that. And in case you don’t remember, I still have a sprained ankle**_ _

__**Eren: But we need to celebrate the good news, Levi. This is a really important thing!**_ _

__**Eren: I know you can’t walk but I’ll take you by bike**_ _

__By bike? Eren had definitely hit his head that morning._ _

__**Me: I appreciate the thought, but it doesn’t sound safe at all and as of right now I don’t have a death wish, try again in a couple of years**_ _

__**Eren: I’m calling you right now**_ _

__Levi’s phone rang a second after he read the last message and with a huff he picked up the phone._ _

__“No,” he said before Eren could say anything else._ _

__“C’mon, Levi,” Eren replied, in a tone that was almost a whine. “I’ll be careful and it’s Sunday, nobody’s on the road.”_ _

__“Why don’t you just come over?” Levi asked. “We can have lunch here and then do something that won’t kill me.”_ _

__“But I want to go on a real date with you,” Eren complained. “I want to take you out somewhere, dress nicely and do whatever people do on dates.”_ _

__At those words, Levi felt his resolve slowly cracking. He wanted to go on a proper date with Eren as well since what they did the day before wasn’t an actual date._ _

__“Where would we be going anyway?” Levi found himself asking._ _

__“I was thinking that diner not far from your house,” Eren replied. Levi could almost hear the smile that was on his face and he couldn’t say no to him._ _

__“Alright,” he gave in. “But if we get run over I’m going to kill you.”_ _

__“We won’t, I’m a safe driver,” Eren said cheerfully._ _

__“We’ll see.”_ _

__“I’ll be at your house in… an hour?” Eren asked._ _

__“Yeah, it’s fine.”_ _

__“See you in a bit then.”_ _

__“See you.”_ _

__Levi ended the call and immediately wobbled as fast as he could to the bathroom. He cursed himself for not having showered that morning and he sure as hell wasn’t going to go on a date with Eren with greasy hair and a faint smell of sweat on his skin. Even if he wasn’t too keen on the vehicle, he was looking forward to spending more time with Eren, despite the fact that they had seen each other the day before._ _

__Levi went into the shower, not caring about the bandages on his foot, and carefully, yet thoroughly washed himself. It was more of a challenge than he had anticipated, but after he finished he felt a lot better. He dried himself and then re-applied the cream on his ankle before putting on some clean bandages._ _

__He went to his room and decided to wear a black pair of jeans with a light grey sweater. Wearing the jeans turned out to be very painful, but in the end, he managed to put them on, only to be reminded that he had to wear shoes as well. For the billionth he cursed his ankle and then proceeded to wear an old pair of black Vans that were loose enough for his bandaged foot to fit in._ _

__Before leaving his room, he took his phone and wallet and put them in the pockets of his jeans. He took his dark grey coat from the closet and the crutches before going downstairs and sitting on the sofa. There were still some minutes left before Eren was supposed to arrive and Levi’s ankle was pulsing painfully after his previous efforts. He stretched his leg in front of him on the sofa, moving it in circles to see how much he could move it before it hurt too much. Every little movement sent shocks of pain up his leg and Levi resolved that it was best if he didn’t use that foot for the rest of the day._ _

__While he was on the sofa he heard a noise outside his house and soon after the doorbell was ringing. He wore his coat and taking the crutches, he stood up, making his way to the door. He opened it and was greeted by a very smiling Eren. He was wearing his usual navy coat over a green hoodie together with a pair of blue jeans and black Converse. He had his hair tided up in a messy bun and once more, Levi wondered how he could always look so good._ _

__“Hi,” Eren said, smiling wider._ _

__“Hi,” Levi replied, feeling his cheeks warm up. “Is that the thing that’s going to kill us?” he added, looking at the bike parked on the street. It was a regular bike, there was nothing special to it. It looked quite old and some of its paint was coming off, but it had a carrier that Levi supposed was going to be his seat._ _

__“Don’t worry, it’s not in good shape, but it works wonderfully,” Eren said with a grin._ _

__Levi started to regret agreeing to this stupid idea, sure it wasn’t going to end up well and he would find himself at the hospital again that weekend. Still, the way Eren was looking at him as if he had understood what Levi was thinking and he was desperately trying to convince him, made Levi’s heart throb and crave just one more minute with him._ _

__“At the first sign of impending death, I’m walking back home,” Levi warned Eren and turned around to lock the door._ _

__Eren chuckled. “Yes, sir.”_ _

__Levi glared at him and started walking towards the bike._ _

__“C’mon, let’s go before I fully regret agreeing to this,” he said._ _

__Eren went ahead of him and got onto the bike, waiting for Levi to sit as well. Levi eyed the carrier suspiciously and then climbed up. It wasn’t easy with his sprained ankle and the crutches, but somehow, he managed to sit as close to Eren’s back as possible, holding the crutches with one hand while he wrapped the other around Eren’s middle._ _

__“Are you ready?” Eren asked._ _

__“As ready as I can be.”_ _

__“I’ll go then.”_ _

__Eren put one foot on the pedal while he pushed himself with the other, gathering enough speed for the bike to start going. As he started pedaling the bike was dangerously wobbly, but once he set a steady rhythm, Levi’s anxiety calmed down a bit._ _

__“See? It’s not that bad,” Eren said, turning his head to look at Levi._ _

__“Look at the road,” Levi said, as the bike almost crashed against the sidewalk._ _

__Eren laughed and continued pedaling, eyes on the road again._ _

__Levi’s seat wasn’t very comfortable, and his legs were starting to hurt for the effort of keeping them off the ground, not to mention his ankle that wasn’t going to get any rest any time soon. Yet, in that moment he wouldn’t have changed it for anything else. He rested his head on Eren’s back, feeling the heat radiating from him and a small smile appeared on his lips. He had officially become a stupid love-sick teenager._ _

__The diner where Eren was taking him to was a couple of blocks down his road, so it wouldn’t take them much to reach it. Levi used to go there quite often when he was younger and didn’t know how to cook, but nowadays he preferred making something by himself and eating while comfortably watching a basketball game._ _

__It was a nice day for being almost December, there were no grey clouds in the sky, but the air was cold enough for Levi to press himself closer to Eren._ _

__“We’re almost there,” Eren said as Levi tightened his grip around him. “And we’re still alive.”_ _

__“And now you’ve jinxed it.”_ _

__Eren chuckled again and turned into the road where the diner was. Levi could see it in the distance and was glad to have arrived still in one piece. Moments later, Eren was entering the parking lot and stopped in front of the space to park the bikes._ _

__“Here we are,” Eren said. “See? It wasn’t so bad.”_ _

__“We still have to make it back home,” Levi pointed out as he tried to get off the bike. It wasn’t exactly easy since he couldn’t land on his bad foot and the crutches in his hands weren’t making the thing any easier._ _

__“Do you need a hand?” Eren asked, keeping the bike steady and looking at him._ _

__“No, I’m fine.”_ _

__While standing on his right foot, Levi managed to get off the bike without putting his left foot on the ground. He stood aside, waiting for Eren to park his bike and then together they made their way towards the entrance._ _

__The diner was fairly large with enough booths to sit comfortably and some stalls at the counter. It had a retro vibe with its black and white floor tiles, red leather seats and movie posters from the 50s that Levi immediately recognized._ _

__Levi and Eren sat at a booth next to the large window looking at the road where Levi could finally stretch his leg and let his ankle rest. Since there weren’t many customers the waitress immediately gave them two menus to look through. Looking at the dishes, Levi noticed that they hadn’t changed much from when he used to eat there, so he chose the chicken burger he used to like together with French fries and green iced tea. Eren went for a classic cheeseburger with fries and a soda._ _

__“Weren’t you doing anything today?” Levi asked as they waited for their order._ _

__“Not much,” Eren replied. “I have a few things to study, but they can wait,” he added with a smile that made Levi blush for what it implied._ _

__Levi nodded and averted his gaze, wishing his face would go back to its normal colour._ _

__“We’ve been going out for a week, but I still don’t know much about you,” Eren said._ _

__“There’s not much to know,” Levi replied, eyes back on Eren._ _

__“How about we play a game.”_ _

__“What game?”_ _

__“We ask each other three questions about anything we want to know, and we have to reply honestly.”_ _

__“Okay,” Levi said, leaning back on the seat. “Shoot.”_ _

__“Ehm,” Eren said, looking around as if the questions were hiding in the diner. “What’s your favourite movie?”_ _

__“Star Wars,” Levi replied._ _

__“The old movies or the new ones?”_ _

__“The old ones,” Levi said. “And this counts as two questions.”_ _

__“C’mon, it was two in one.”_ _

__Levi rolled his eyes, but his mouth was morphed into a smile. “Alright, go on.”_ _

__“What is the happiest memory you have?”_ _

__Levi had to think about it for a while. When was the last time he had felt truly happy? When had he thought that there wasn’t anything more he wished for?_ _

__“It’s a very vague memory because it’s from when I was little,” he started. “But I remember my mom brushing my hair while humming a song and then tugging me into bed,” he continued, “and before you ask, no, I didn’t have long hair, but I supposed it was something that relaxed her. She did it almost every night, that’s why I can remember it,” just thinking back of those moments he had spent together with his mom made Levi’s eyes sting._ _

__“That’s so sweet,” Eren said with a tender smile. “I bet she was a nice person.”_ _

__“She was,” Levi replied._ _

__The memory had brought back all the sadness he had tried to overcome during the years and crying in front of Eren wasn’t something he wanted to do._ _

__“Last question,” he said to change the topic._ _

__Eren nibbled his lip, looking at Levi, as if he was unsure about what he wanted to say._ _

__“Have you ever been in a relationship before?” he finally said._ _

__“No,” Levi replied._ _

__“Seriously?” Eren asked surprised._ _

__“Yes, why would I lie?”_ _

__“It’s just that you’re quite popular at school and, you know, you’re pretty hot.”_ _

__“I don’t like most people and I try to avoid social situations as much as I can,” Levi said while blushing for Eren’s comment._ _

__“Yeah, I’ve kinda figured that out already,” Eren chuckled. “Why me then?”_ _

__“I think your turn to make questions is over,” Levi said. “Now it’s mine.”_ _

__“Fine,” Eren gave in. “Ask me whatever you want.”_ _

__As Levi was thinking about his questions, the waitress came with their burgers and drinks. She placed them in front of them and then went back behind the counter._ _

__“Do you have a pet?” Levi asked as they started to eat._ _

__“No, but I’d really like to have a dog,” Eren replied._ _

__“Have you ever been in a relationship before?”_ _

__“No, I’ve never liked someone enough to want to be with them.”_ _

__“Why me then?” Levi asked with a grin._ _

__“You’re unfair,” Eren complained. “Well, you’re straightforward, some people might call you rude, but I really like it because this way I know you would have rejected me if you didn’t want to be with me, and I’m really happy you didn’t. Armin told me you joined the basketball club in high school and now you’re seriously one of the best players in the school and managed to win a scholarship for a very important university and that’s just mind-blowing and inspiring. You’re loyal to your friends, I mean, I don’t know how you could still be friends with Hange if you weren’t, considering how eccentric they are,” Eren chuckled. “There are still other things that I like about you and that make you different from other people, but these are the main ones.”_ _

__Levi wasn’t expecting Eren to be that honest. He had asked him the question just to tease him, even if part of him wanted to know what Eren saw in him, but it would be an understatement to say that Eren’s reply left him dumbstruck._ _

__“The first time we ate lunch together after the soccer game I couldn’t believe you were the same the person who had pestered me for months,” Levi said. “The way you behaved with your friends was so different from the side I knew of you that at the beginning I couldn’t understand who you were. Then I realised you can be an idiot sometimes, but you make up for it with your kindness. You’re supportive and patient, if I had been you I don’t know how many times I would have dumped myself during this weekend, I know I tend to close myself off more often than not, but you stuck with me and I’m really thankful for it. You can be very stubborn at times and make me do stupid things like going to an impromptu lunch with a sprained ankle by _bike_ , making me enjoy every second of it,” Levi concluded. “So, here’s your answer.” _ _

__

__Eren’s face melted into a soft smile and Levi was almost sure that his eyes were watery from what he had said. Levi himself was a bit embarrassed by his confession, he had never been so expressive in his life, but he wanted Eren to know he wasn’t alone in their relationship._ _

__

__“I feel like I’m going to cry,” Eren said, sniffling._ _

__

__“You asked for it,” Levi replied._ _

__

__“I know,” Eren said, reaching for Levi’s hand on the table and lacing their fingers together. He gently squeezed it, smiling at Levi and making his heart skip a beat. It was all so sappy and cheesy, and Levi had never imagined himself doing something like this that it made him feel almost uncomfortable._ _

__

__“Is this the same hand you used to eat those greasy French fries?” Levi asked._ _

__

__Eren chuckled. “Yes,” he replied, squeezing Levi’s hand one last time before unlacing their fingers._ _

__

__“Gross,” Levi said, pretended to be disgusted._ _

__

__Eren smiled at him, seeing past his rudeness, and they kept eating, asking each other more questions._ _

__

__Once they finished their burgers, they had a slice of chocolate cake each as dessert and after spending a bit more time at their booth, they paid before leaving. The journey back was less stressful for Levi and wrapped around Eren he relished in the happiness he was feeling. There was also some uneasiness mixed with it, something that made his stomach turn into a knot and not in a good way, but he pushed that sensation away. He had worried enough during the last week that he just wanted to enjoy the moment._ _

__

__After less than ten minutes, Eren turned into the familiar street to Levi’s house._ _

__

__“Here we are,” he said, stopping in front of Levi’s house. “And you’re all in one piece as I promised.”_ _

__

__Levi grunted as he got off the bike and then stood next to it, holding onto the crutches._ _

__

__“Thank you for today,” he said, looking at Eren on his bike. “I really enjoyed myself.”_ _

__

__“I’m glad you did,” Eren smiled. “Congratulations on your scholarship again,” he added as he placed a hand on Levi’s cheek and tilted his head._ _

__

__Levi met him halfway in a kiss that made his heart skip a beat. He was about to pull away when Eren cupped his face with both hands and kissed him again, harder this time, leaving Levi breathless._ _

__

__“I’ll see you at school tomorrow,” Levi said when they parted._ _

__

__“Yeah.”_ _

__

__“Don’t die on your way home.”_ _

__

__“I won’t,” Eren said, smiling._ _

__

__“Bye,” Levi said stepping aside to let Eren go._ _

__

__“Bye.”_ _

__

__Levi watched as Eren left on his bike, already feeling a bit lonelier than before._ _

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are appreciated :)  
> My [ Tumblr ](https://rachel--exe.tumblr.com/)


	15. Chapter 15

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Remember how last time I said I didn't want to miss any updates so that I could be considered somewhat reliable and you didn't have to wait too long for new chapters?   
> Well, I'm taking a one week break from this fic.  
> I need to take a step back and see where the story is going, how I'm going to make some things happen and just adjust a few things. I'm also open to suggestions, so you have any ideas or events you want to see in the story, feel free to tell me in the comments!  
> If you're interested in my writing, I have a one shot that's coming out before Halloween (hopefully) so you can look forward to that, if you're not interested then I'll see you in two weeks :)  
> Enjoy!

Levi was putting on his shoes sat on the couch when he heard a car park in front of his house followed by the sound of a horn. He looked towards the window, but the dark blue curtains didn’t let him see who was outside. He finished putting on his shoes and then, crutches in hand, he made his way to the door as the horn kept ringing in the air.

_Who the fuck is it?_ Levi thought as he opened the door. 

Parked at the end of his driveway, there was Hange’s car, its driver still inside and waiting for Levi to come out. As soon as they saw the door open, they waved at Levi and pulled down the passenger window. 

“Levi,” they called. “I’ve come to give you a lift to school.” 

When he had woken up, Levi was ready to slowly make his way to school by foot as he usually did, but as Hange told him they were giving him a lift, he was relieved he didn’t have to walk that long with the crutches. He was also grateful to them for the thought, despite the grumpy ass he had been on Friday. He closed the front door behind him, and headed towards Hange’s car, opening the back-seat door to put the crutches and his backpack in. 

“Thanks for the lift,” Levi said as he opened the passenger seat and sat down. 

“No worries,” Hange replied. “How’s the ankle?” 

“Still sprained,” Levi said. 

“It’ll heal quickly, you’ll see,” Hange retorted, pulling into the lane. “Has Mr.Dok called you yet?” 

“Yeah, he said the scholarship is mine.” 

“That’s amazing, Levi,” Hange said, looking at him with a big smile. “I knew you would have made it.” 

“Thanks.” 

“We need to celebrate the big news, I might throw a party,” Hange suggested. “It could be basketball themed, oh my God, yes, that’s a great idea!” 

“Stop getting excited, I already celebrated yesterday,” Levi told them before things started to get out of hand. 

“And you didn’t invite me? Rude.” 

“Of course I’m not going to invite you when I go on a date with Eren.” 

“I bet it was Eren who dragged you out of the house.” 

Levi glared at them. “He didn’t _drag_ me.” 

“As if. Where did you go?” 

“To that diner a couple of blocks from my house.” 

Hange nodded for a moment before their brows furrowed in confusion. 

“Wait,” they said. “How did you get there?” 

“We went with Eren’s bike.” 

“Eren can drive a motorbike?” Hange asked, still confused. 

“Of course, he’s too young to drive a car, but he can obviously drive a motorbike,” Levi said ironically. “For fuck’s sake, Hange, it was a bicycle.” 

“Seriously?” Hange said as their shoulders started to shake from their laugh. “Poor Eren, how many times did you tell him to watch out for things on the road?” 

“You’re not funny, you know?” 

“It’s just that it’s so unlike you,” Hange said. “You’re already pretty anxious when I drive, I can’t imagine how you’d be on something as unstable as a bike.” 

“First of all, a child would drive better than you, and second, I like being safe.” 

“My totally amazing driving skills have brought us to school, so I don’t know what you have to complain about,” Hange pointed out as they reached the school’s parking lot. 

Levi rolled his eyes, but didn’t reply. 

After Hange parked their car, they both got off and made their way towards the entrance of the school. As they were walking, a lot of people looked at Levi and his crutches with a surprised expression, some were even pitying him, and a few even opened their mouths to say something, but when they saw Levi’s scowl they thought better of it. 

On their way to the biology lab, they met Erwin and Armin in the corridors and both of them asked Levi how he was doing. Levi had never been one to like much attention, so to be the centre of so many worries made him uncomfortable. He was glad his friends wanted to know about his ankle, but it still felt a bit awkward and it was one of those social situations he had always tried to avoid. 

The bell was about to ring, and Levi still hadn’t seen Eren around. He had looked through the crowd of students many times, but never found the person he was looking for. Finally, as he was about to enter the room he heard someone call his name. Hange turned towards him with a grin before leaving Levi alone with Eren. 

Turing around, Levi saw Eren coming towards him with a smile so genuine that warmed him up inside. 

“Hello,” Eren said as he came near him. 

“Hi,” Levi replied. 

“I didn’t mean to call you out in the middle of the hallway, but I wanted to see you before classes started.” 

Levi was sure his face was hot enough to cook something on it. Was this what it meant to be in a relationship? To feel flustered every time the other person said something or was it just him? Levi couldn’t believe this was Eren’s first time being someone because the way his comments towards Levi came out was too smooth for someone with no experience. Levi was still trying to figure out how not to make a fool out of himself whenever he wanted to compliment Eren about something, but it felt awkward and out place every time. Damn his social skills for being so underdeveloped! 

“You’re adorable when you blush,” Eren said with a grin. 

“Shut up,” Levi said and grabbed Eren’s sweater to pull him down into a kiss. 

Eren tasted like mint, probably from his toothpaste, and Levi was so happy that Eren was a clean person that he got carried away a little bit and kissed him harder until he was almost out of breath. 

When he pulled away, Eren had a deep shade of red on his cheeks, making _him_ look adorable. 

Levi smirked. “Who’s blushing now?” 

“That wasn’t fair,” Eren muttered. 

The bell rang, ruining their moment, and Levi groaned. 

“I have to go now,” Eren said. “I’ll see you later.” 

“Yeah, bye,” Levi said and before he could turn around, Eren bent down to kiss him again and then walked away. 

Classes went by as they always did: slowly and painfully. There were only a few weeks left of the semester so there were more tests and homework than usual. Levi was used to handling stressing situations as it had often happened during a basketball game, but that didn’t mean that he enjoyed it. All worries seemed pointless, though, when every time he had to change classes he was able to see Eren in the hallway and the glances and smiles they shared made everything else fade away. 

During lunch break, the coach asked him to see him in his office, to talk about his injury, Levi assumed, and he was right. As of now there wasn’t much Levi could do, physically speaking, so the coach told him to rest and focus on his grades. He had talked to Mr.Dok and knew that he had scouted Levi (not that he had any doubts, he said), but that didn’t mean that Levi was allowed to slack off. Since he couldn’t focus on his basketball game, the coach advised him to concentrate on school and keep up his good grades that were equally important to enroll in college. 

After brooding about his injury for the whole weekend, Levi had now come to terms with it. There wasn’t anything he could do to make it magically disappear, so he took his coach’s advice and decided to focus on maintaining his grades. 

After meeting with the coach, he went back to the cafeteria to quickly eat his lunch, since classes were about to start soon. 

“There you are, Levi,” Hange said as he approached the table where they were sat with Erwin, Armin and Eren. “What did the coach want from you.” 

“Nothing important,” he replied, sitting next to Eren. “Just to know about my injury and talk about the scholarship.” 

“About that,” Hange said with a grin that didn’t promise anything good for Levi. “I was telling these three that I’m planning on organizing a Christmas party this year.” 

“I like the idea,” Erwin said. 

“I have to check if I’m free,” Levi said as he started to eat his lunch. 

“You’re always free, Levi,” Hange pointed out. “Plus, it’s also a birthday party for you, so you can’t refuse.” 

“When is your birthday?” Eren asked. 

“On Christmas day.” 

“Really?” Eren asked with a surprised smile. 

“Yes, and because we’re on holiday, he has always been able to escape my attempts to celebrate it,” Hange said. “But this year is going to be different.” 

“Your so called “attempts” have always been obvious,” Levi retorted.

“That’s beside the point,” Hange scoffed. “This year you have to come though, it’s the last year we’ll be in the same town, the three of us,” they said looking at him and Erwin. 

There was a sad tone in their voice and their eyes showed the same sadness, making Levi’s heart sink. Erwin and Hange were his best friends and had been for years. Most of his happiest moments had been spent with them and the sole thought of not being around them anymore was able to put a dump to his mood. Even if he wasn’t good at showing his feelings, it didn’t mean that he didn’t care about his friends. 

“Fine, I’ll come,” Levi complied. 

“Yes!” Hange shouted. “It’s going to be the best party you’ve ever been to.” 

“Considering that I’ve been to approximately four parties, it’s not going to be that hard,” Levi pointed out. “But don’t make a big fuss about my birthday or my scholarship, otherwise I’ll leave in record time.” 

“I knew there was a catch,” Hange said. “But if it means that you’ll come then I won’t say anything about those two topics.” 

“Good,” Levi nodded. 

Levi had barely finished his lunch when the bell rang, so he quickly gathered up his stuff and together with his friends he went to his next class. He was walking alone with Eren while Erwin, Hange and Armin were a few steps in front of them, discussing things for the party. Levi couldn’t walk as fast as them, but Eren didn’t seem to mind as he matched his pace. There was something different about him from that morning, though, and he seemed lost in thought as he silently walked next to Levi. 

“Do you have to go straight home after school?” Eren asked. 

“No, why?” 

“I want to show you something,” Eren explained. “There is a bit of walking to do, but I really want you to see it.” 

“That’s alright, what is it?” 

“My new house,” Eren said with a sad smile. 

“Oh, okay,” Levi replied. 

Eren had been more quiet than usual at lunch and it wasn’t often that he came late to school, so Levi had wondered if there had been new developments in his family. He hated seeing Eren like that and if there was something that could make him feel better, for how small it was, he would have done it, even if it meant walking for miles with the crutches. 

“Did you come by bike today?” Levi asked. 

“No.” 

“What a shame, we could have pedaled there,” Levi said, pretending to be sorry about it. 

Eren chuckled. “Don’t tempt me, I might go home just to take it.” 

“Please don’t,” Levi said. 

Eren smiled again, his mood apparently a bit better than before. 

Once they had to part to go to their own classes, Levi took both crutches in one hand and put the other on Eren’s cheek, gently stroking it before bringing him down into a kiss. 

“See you around,” he said, running his thumb on Eren’s cheekbone. 

A corner of Eren’s mouth quirked up into a small smile. “See you.” 

Levi watched as Eren walked to his classroom and away from his sight before entering his own. Hange and Erwin were already sat at their usual seats towards the end of the classroom and when Levi came near them they raised their heads. 

“Is something wrong with Eren?” Hange asked as Levi sat down. “He hadn’t said a word before you joined us at lunch.”

“I don’t know, but I guess so,” Levi replied. “He hasn’t told me anything yet.” 

“I hope it’s nothing bad,” Erwin said, concerned. 

“I hope so too.” 

Eren occupied the majority of his thoughts for the rest of the afternoon and when they finally met outside school, Levi’s worries hadn’t decreased. 

Once they left the school gate, they took a turn to the left and lined behind the other students that were going the same way. Levi was slow with the crutches, so people kept surpassing them and they soon found themselves quite far from other people. 

Eren still hadn’t said a word and looked lost in his thoughts once again, idly kicking the peddles on the road. 

“Do you have a game this weekend?” Levi asked to distract Eren. 

“Yeah,” Eren replied, looking at him. “Do you want to come?” 

“Of course I want to.” 

Eren’s lips tugged into a small smile. “Thanks,” he said before looking back down at the road. “Even if I’m a bit struggling with my gameplay lately.” 

“Why’s that? I’ve seen you play and you’re really good.” 

“I bring my problems into the field,” Eren explained. “I can’t separate the two things, whenever I’m going through a tough phase in my life, my gameplay suffers from it.” 

“Try using those feelings at your advantage,” Levi said. “Imagine that the ball is made out of your problems, that it contains all the things that upset you and then kick it as hard as you can and every time you score it’s not only you winning the game, but also you overcoming your problems,” he said. “I use this trick sometimes, it helps a bit.” 

“I’ll try,” Eren said. “Thanks.” 

They kept walking, leaving the shops and parks full of people behind, until they reached a more tranquil area, with houses on both sides of the road. They had been walking for a good fifteen minutes, Levi assumed, and his arms were starting to hurt when Eren stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and indicated the house in front of them. It was a small house with two floors and a small front yard. There was a small path going from the front gate to the front door and the fence was the typical wooden one that almost everybody had, or at least the same one as the rest of the houses on that road. 

“Seems like a nice house,” Levi said. 

“Yeah, there’s nothing wrong with it,” Eren agreed. “It has three bedrooms, two bathrooms, a kitchen and a living room, nothing’s missing.” 

“But?” Levi asked, sensing the hesitation in Eren’s voice. 

“I don’t know,” Eren huffed. “I thought I was okay with leaving my old house, but now that I’m about to move out I feel like I don’t have a place to come back to. I know it must sound weird, but all my childhood memories are there, the bad and the good ones. That’s the only home I’ve ever known and every time I realise that I’m not going to wake up in my bedroom anymore I feel like crying.” 

“I think it’s normal, everyone would feel like that,” Levi assured him. “But you’re just leaving the objects behind, not the memories, and you can always make new ones in this house.” 

“I know,” Eren said, looking at the building in front of them as if he was trying to solve a puzzle. 

Levi knew the feeling of leaving the place you’ve grown up in and move to a foreign house that other people have lived in and that feels cold and distant. When his mother died and he had to move in with his uncle, he hadn’t been able to sleep well for a long time and could go into dreamland only after having cried his eyes out. Obviously, he was still a child at the time and everything in the new house had seemed hostile and scary to him, and only with the years he had grown to like it, but the house he had lived in with his mom still held a special place in his heart, even if the memories were just a blur. 

Eren was still staring at the house and Levi didn’t want to disrupt his thoughts, so he silently waited for Eren to be ready to talk to him. There wasn’t much he could do to comfort Eren other than being there for him and help him however he could. 

“My father sent the divorce papers to my mom,” Eren finally broke the silence. “It’s the first time we’ve heard from him since he left.” 

“Oh,” Levi said. “How did you take it?” 

“I’m relieved he did, he obviously didn’t love my mom anymore and he was always cold towards me and Mikasa as well,” Eren explained. “I don’t want to burden you with all the details, but every time he was around we were all on edge, he barely talked to us and whenever my mom asked him something about his day he replied with monosyllables. He wasn’t violent or anything, he was just indifferent to us. When he left I was angry, but a part of me was also relieved because it meant that we could get our lives back and loudly talk during dinner or run around the house again.” 

Levi listened to Eren talk about his family, aware that it was probably best if he talked about his feelings instead of keeping them bottled up inside him and he was glad Eren was feeling comfortable enough to share them with him. They hadn’t been together for long, so Levi was happy Eren trusted him that much. He wanted to be someone Eren could always come to when facing even the smallest problems, someone he could rely on and openly talk to without being afraid of receiving monosyllables as answers. 

“I’m sorry you had to listen to me whine about my family,” Eren said. 

“I’d listen to you even if you were talking about the weather for hours,” Levi said. “If I didn’t care about you, I would have come up with an excuse to go home and watch some basketball.” 

Eren’s mouth curved up in a small smile for the first time since they had reached the house. 

“Thank you,” he said. 

“You don’t have to thank me for trying to be a decent boyfriend,” Levi said, matching Eren’s smile. 

“I just want you to know that I appreciate it.” 

“After you’ve listened to me whine about my ankle, it was only fair of me.” 

“Your ankle, right,” Eren exclaimed with wide eyes. “I’ sorry I made you stand for such a long time. Are you hurting?” 

“It’s not that bad,” Levi said. “I can handle it.” 

“C’mon, I’m carrying you back.” 

“What’s up with you and your weird ways of carrying me around?” Levi asked amused. “I can walk back without problems.” 

“Your shaking arms say otherwise,” Eren pointed out. 

Soon after they had arrived at their destination, Levi had carefully put his injured ankle on the ground and shifted his weight on his good one, but his arms were still doing the majority of the work and now, also considering the long walk, they were slightly shaking for the pain. Levi tried to still them, but he couldn’t deny that they were hurting. 

“Fine,” he said. “But halfway there I’m walking on my own.” 

“Alright. Come here.” 

Eren gave Levi his backpack and squat down to let him climb on his back. Levi precariously put his crutches inside his own backpack and then, helped by Eren, he climbed on his back. He put his hands around Eren’s neck and his legs on either side. Eren carefully stood up and secured Levi’s legs in his hands. 

“Are you okay?” Levi asked. 

“Yes,” Eren replied as he started to walk. 

There was still no one around and the sun was starting to set, giving everything an orange hue. Levi rested his head on Eren’s shoulder and closed his eyes, letting himself be lulled by the steady pace. He thought back about what Eren told him and once more he wished there was something he could do to make him feel better in an instant or say a magic word that would solve all of Eren’s problems, but it wasn’t possible. He could only wait and help Eren however he could, even if it meant being carried around by him. 

Levi opened his eyes and moved his face closer to Eren’s neck, placing a kiss there, a small gesture that told him Levi was there for him. Eren smiled and kissed Levi’s arm. There was no need for words. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are appreciated :)  
> My [ Tumblr ](https://rachel--exe.tumblr.com/)


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone, I'm finally back with a new chapter and it has everything this fic is about: sports, ereri and smut! ;)  
> I have to decided to change the update day, and from now on I'll post the new chapters on Sunday. Thursdays weren't working for me anymore and I always had to rush to be able to update in time, so the next update won't be next Thursday, but instead it'll be next Sunday. I'm sorry for the inconsistency of the update schedule, but starting from next week it should be as regular as it was before :)  
> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy!

“So, Levi, I was thinking about buying a piñata for my Christmas party, what do you think?” Hange asked. They had come to pick Levi up once again and they were now heading to school.

“In all my life I’ve been to about four parties and none of them had a piñata, but from what I’ve seen in movies, it seems dumb enough for a lot of people to enjoy it,” Levi replied. 

“I know you’re dying to try it, you just don’t want to admit it.” 

“Yes, Hange, I’m dying to be blindfolded and walk around with a baseball bat in my hand, trying to smash a paper horse like an idiot.” 

“See? I knew it,” Hange said, pretending they didn’t hear the sarcastic tone in Levi’s voice. 

“Anyway, have you decided on a date yet?” Levi asked. 

“I was thinking the day after school finishes,” Hange replied, for once their eyes were on the road. “The week after that is already Christmas and many people might have gone out of town.” 

“Fine by me,” Levi said. 

He didn’t have any plans for the holidays, as per usual, and he would probably spend Christmas day at home with his uncle. He hoped he could see Eren sometime during that time, but then he remembered Eren had mentioned something about being away until the new semester. 

“I don’t know if Eren can come, though,” Levi said. “He told me that he was leaving for the holidays, but I didn’t ask when precisely.” 

“I’ll ask him at school, I hope he’ll come.” 

Levi hoped so too. After the conversation they had the previous day, Levi thought it would be a good distraction for him. The holidays were around the corner and the subject of Eren’s father was bound to come up a lot during the family get-togethers Eren was probably going to attend and it would only be more distressing. 

“How are things with Eren?” Hange asked, disrupting Levi from his thoughts. 

“A bit complicated,” Levi said. “His parents are getting divorced and he’s moving houses,” he added when Hange raised an eyebrow. 

“I’m sorry, must be hard.” 

“Yeah,” Levi said, looking out the window. 

“I’ve never seen you care so much about someone,” Hange said. 

Levi looked at them. “What are you saying?” he asked, frowning. 

“Don’t worry, I know that in your own way you care about me too,” they said, patting Levi’s arm. “But with Eren it’s different, deeper maybe, which it’s totally understandable since you’re in love with him and not with me.” 

“What? I’m not in love with Eren,” Levi exclaimed. 

It was still too early to talk about love. He liked Eren and spending time with him. And yes, he always missed him when they weren’t together and wished there were less cars on the road, so that he could get to school early and finally see him. And yes, he was the only person to have ever seen his more vulnerable side and whose vulnerable side he wanted to see, but that didn’t mean he was in love with him. Alright, maybe he was halfway through like and love, but still not completely on the love side of things. 

“I can practically hear you overthink about your feelings,” Hange said. 

“It’s not overthinking, it’s called analysing.” 

“Even worse,” Hange said. “Anyway, my point is that he makes you happy which makes me happy because I can see a different expression on your face other than boredom and annoyance.” 

“You’re not making much sense this morning, you know?” Levi said, embarrassed by the conversation. He wasn’t used to talking about his feelings and it made him immensely uncomfortable to do so. 

“And you’re just playing dumb,” Hange said, rolling their eyes. “But since we’ve arrived at school, I’ll let it slide this time.” 

They were in fact entering the school’s parking lot and looking around, Levi spotted Eren waiting for them near the gate. He had kindly offered him a ride to school the previous day, but Levi had decided it was better to have embarrassing conversations with Hange than to feel the scrutiny of Eren’s mom. 

Eren looked as serene as always and nobody would have thought he was having difficulties at home, but Levi had noticed that Eren always seemed happy and calm when he was around a lot of people and only when he was alone with someone he was intimate with, he let his mask slide down. It made things hard for someone like Levi that wasn’t good at reading people’s feelings, but it also made him happy because it meant that Eren thought of him as someone important to the point of sharing his troubles with him. 

“Levi told me you’re leaving for the holidays,” Hange said after getting out of the car and greeting Eren. 

“Yes, I’m leaving on Christmas eve,” Eren said. 

“Perfect!” Hange exclaimed with a sparkle in their eyes. “My party is the day before, so I’m expecting you to come.” 

“Don’t feel obliged to go if you’re busy packing or doing more important things,” Levi said. 

“I’m using you and a piñata as bait,” Hange said. “He can’t refuse such an offer.” 

Levi rolled his eyes, but Eren was chucking, amused by their exchange. 

“If that’s the case, I’m definitely coming,” he said. 

“Then that’s settled,” Hange retorted with a grin. “Now I leave you two to smooch a bit before school starts,” they added and left Levi and Eren alone. 

“Do you want to go sit somewhere?” Eren asked. 

“Alright.” 

They made their way inside the school yard, passing by other students that were chatting in groups or entering the school. The school yard was small and wouldn’t have fitted all the students at once, so it easily got crowded, especially at that time of the day, but past the parking lots at the back there were a few benches that allowed a bit of intimacy and silence. 

Eren and Levi walked towards one of the empty benches and Levi had never hated the crutches so much. He desperately wanted to hold Eren’s hand, to have some kind of physical contact with him that told him he was there, but his hands were both occupied by his crutches. As he was walking, Eren kept looking at the ground, sparing Levi only a few glances and small smiles that made Levi’s heart clench. 

Once they reached their destination they sat down and, aware that he didn’t have a lot of time before school started, Levi cut to the chase. 

“How are you doing?” he asked. 

“I’m fine,” Eren replied with a smile that wouldn’t have fooled even Levi. 

“Eren,” Levi said. 

“Letting go is harder than I thought,” Eren said, breathing out heavily. 

“I know, but for as cliché as it sounds, things will get better.” 

Eren looked at Levi for a split second before cupping his face and pressing his lips against Levi’s, kissing him hard, almost painfully. Levi was surprised by the sudden gesture, but he soon responded to Eren’s kiss, putting his hands on Eren’s forearms and squeezing them gently. 

When they pulled apart, Eren rested his forehead on Levi’s, hands still cupping Levi’s face. 

“You must think I’m a brat for being so upset about a stupid house,” he said. “I’m honestly sadder about it than about my dad.” 

“I always think you’re a brat,” Levi replied with a smirk. “But I’m keeping you anyway.” 

Eren chuckled. “I love your way of cheering me up,” he said. “It always works.” 

“I’m just being myself, but I’m glad it helps.” 

Eren huffed in amusement before joining their lips again in a more tender kiss. 

They were forced to pull apart by the bell signalling the start of the lessons, so they stood up and headed towards the school together. 

“For how much longer do you have to use the crutches, anyway?” Eren asked. “It’s really annoying that I can’t hold your hand.” 

“I think I’ll be able to walk on my own for Christmas break,” Levi said, cheeks pink for Eren’s comment. 

“I’m glad. I hope it heals properly.” 

“It should, I’m going to get it checked soon.” 

“Good.” 

They reached the school entrance and followed the rest of the students that went inside. Once again, Levi had biology as first period, so he had to walk all the way to the last classroom of the corridor while Eren’s classroom was the first on the right. Before entering the room, Eren gave Levi one last kiss and left him with the promise of seeing each other later on. 

Classes went by uneventful and lunch was mostly spent listening to Hange planning the Christmas party. That day Eren had soccer training, so Levi went home together with Hange. It was something new for him, being at home while his team was training, but he accepted the change as it allowed him to study everything he needed before the sun was setting instead of staying up until late at night to finish everything. 

The days went on, and Friday eventually arrived and together with it the soccer game. Eren wasn’t going to be in the game from the start (which Levi thought was bullshit), but he didn’t seem to be that shocked at the news. Levi happily noticed that he wasn’t as distressed about his family situation as he was early in the week and even when they were alone if he mentioned his new house, he did it with a sense of acceptance that Levi hoped would last. 

Friday came, and before the game Hange stopped by Levi’s house to pick him up. Every time he saw Hange’s car parked in front of his house, Levi reminded himself to find a way to repay them for their kindness. They had made it clear from the beginning that they would drive Levi wherever he needed to go and after a long discussion about it, Levi had given in. Still, he didn’t abuse his friend’s kindness and asked for rides only when he knew Hange was going there as well. 

When they arrived at the school, they had to circle around a few times to be able to find an empty parking lot as they were all already occupied. Finding a free set on the stands around the soccer field would have been hard too if Armin hadn’t reserved two spots for them. He was sat towards the lower seats together with Mikasa and as soon as he saw them, he waved at them to catch their attention. 

After exchanging brief greetings, Levi and Hange sat down and chatted together, waiting for the game to start. 

Finally, the players started to enter the field and after shaking hands and throwing the coin, the game started. Levi scanned the benches and as soon as he saw Eren already smiling at him his chest tightened a little. 

It was a tight game for the majority of the first half. Both teams were equally powerful and rarely the ball stayed long on one side of the field. There were many goal chances for Erwin’s team, but the goalkeeper of the other team was extremely good, and all balls ended outside the net. So at the end of the first half the score was still a tie with no goals on each side. 

The beginning of the second half was almost a copy of the first one and for as much as the teams tried to outweigh each other, no one scored. It was twenty minutes into the second half, when Eren was finally entering the game. Levi spotted him immediately as he walked towards the white line of the field and waited for his teammate to exit it. 

“Go, Eren,” Hange shouted beside him when Eren got in. 

Eren took his place as forward centre and the game started again. The first time Eren touched the ball, he almost scored. Erwin had managed to steal the ball from the opponents and had started to run towards the goal, an almost empty field in front of him since the other team was all in offense. Eren was following him closely together with other two teammates, but he and Erwin were the fastest ones and managed to get to the penalty area when two of their opponents caught up to them. Erwin had quickly passed the ball to Eren who, only a few meters from the goal, kicked it as hard as he could but hit the crossbar, sending the ball on the stands. 

The spectators were all on their feet during the action and when Eren missed, they all threw their hands in the air in frustration. Levi had followed the action sat on the edge of his seat with all his muscles tense, sure that it was the best chance they had had so far and when they didn’t score, he felt so disappointed he put his hands in his hair. He had no doubt, however, that Eren was going to score some time before the end of the match. From the way he had kicked the ball Levi was certain Eren was following his advice. 

From that action, the balance between the two teams broke and now more often than not, it was the home team that tested the ability of the opponents’ goalkeeper. Play after play, they slowly tired him out until, five minutes to the end of the game, they finally scored. 

The play started with a bald guy Levi remembered was called Connie stealing the ball from a missed pass and running towards the goal. He was swiftly marked by a boy twice as tall as him, but he dribbled past him and passed the ball to the centre of the field. From there, the ball was quickly passed all the way up to the penalty line where Erwin tossed it in the middle of the area. Eren jumped as high as he could and without caring about the player that was trying to hold him back, he scored. 

The people in the stands stood up to cheer him and Eren ran around the field, exulting for the goal, and once he reached the side of the stands where Levi was sat, he blew a kiss to him, wearing one of those smiles that never failed to make Levi weak. Levi rolled his eyes at the cheesiness of the gesture, but he was doing a poor job at hiding the smile on his own face. 

After that play, there weren’t other actions that threatened to change the score of the game and after two minutes of extra time, the game ended in favour of the home team. 

Levi, Hange, Armin and Mikasa left their seats and went to wait for their friends in front of the school gate. After some time, the first to exit the school was Erwin who was chatting with another teammate and as soon as he spotted them, he joined the group, saying goodbye to his friend. 

“Well done, Erwin,” Hange said. “You played really well.” 

“Thank you,” Erwin replied with a smile as he passed an arm around Armin’s waist and smiled at him. 

“Is Eren coming?” Armin asked him. 

“Yes, I think he was getting dressed when I left the lockers.” 

“There he is,” Mikasa said, indicating the schoolyard. 

Eren was climbing down the steps outside the main door and was looking around him. Once he saw their group he smiled and walked towards them. 

“Hey, guys,” he greeted them. 

“There’s our ace,” Hange exclaimed. 

“Thanks,” he smiled. “Did you record the goal?” he asked Mikasa. 

“I recorded everything since you entered,” Mikasa replied. 

“I’m sure mom will appreciate it.” 

“Maybe one day she’ll understand how soccer works,” Mikasa said with a small smile. 

“I doubt it, but, hey, her son scored, and that’s all that matters.” 

“Is Carla still working extra hours?” Armin asked. 

“Yes, but she should be home by now,” Eren replied. 

“Do you guys need a ride home?” Hange asked. 

“I came here by bike,” Eren said. 

“I came with Armin, but I guess he’s not going home for a while,” Mikasa said at which Armin gave her an apologetic smile. 

“I can take you home after I’ve dropped Levi off.” 

“Actually,” Levi intervened. “I’m going home with Eren.” 

Hange grinned at him. “Alright, I’ll only take Mikasa home then.” 

They chatted for a few more minutes in front of the school, talking about the game and the soccer league, before going home. After saying his goodbyes, Levi followed Eren to where his bike was parked inside the school yard. 

“Did you become fond of my bike?” Eren joked. 

“So much that one of these days I’m going to steal it,” Levi replied ironically. 

Eren chuckled and got his bike ready. Levi sat behind him and then they left the school. 

“Stay under the lights, just in case there are some cars that don’t see us,” Levi said. 

“Yes, Mr. safe driver,” Eren replied cheerfully. 

The ride home was peaceful and silent and much to Levi’s happiness there weren’t many cars on the road that threatened to run them over. Once they reached Levi’s house, as he had suspected, his uncle’s car was nowhere to be seen, so after parking the bike, Levi led Eren inside. 

“It’s better if we go to my room, in case my uncle comes back,” he said. 

“What would he say if he saw me with you?” Eren asked. 

“I don’t know, I’ve never had that talk with him.” 

“You never talk about him,” Eren cautiously said as they climbed the stairs. 

“I don’t know anything about him,” Levi shrugged. “I’d say we see each other twice a week maybe, and by pure chance.” 

“That must be lonely,” Eren replied with a sad hue in his voice. 

“I’m used to it,” Levi shrugged it off. 

They had reached Levi’s room and once they were both in, Levi closed the door behind them. He didn’t have the time to turn around that Eren had already wrapped his arms around his waist and buried his face in the crook of his neck. 

“I don’t want you to feel lonely,” Eren murmured. 

“I told you, I’m used to it.” 

“Being used to it doesn’t mean you don’t feel it,” Eren retorted. “I want you to call me every time you feel lonely.” 

Levi’s chest tightened at Eren’s word as they hit him right in his heart. It was true that he was so used to it that being lonely didn’t mean anything to him anymore, but it was also true that he never felt that way when he was with Eren and only thinking about him always made him feel better. He didn’t want to admit it, thought, realising that he needed someone else in his life was too scary, so he decided to leave the talk to another day. 

“And how are you going to keep me company?” he asked in a husky voice. 

Eren’s grip on his waist tightened and he plastered his body against Levi’s. 

“There are so many things I could do to you,” he whispered. 

Eren started to leave a trail of kisses up Levi’s neck while his hands played with he hem of Levi’s sweater. Levi threw his head to the side, closing his eyes and clenching the crutches harder to have something to hold on to. 

“Eren,” he breathed out when the brunet reached his ear and bit his earlobe. 

Eren took the crutches from him and set them aside before picking Levi up and taking him to the bed. He laid him there and then climbed on top of him. 

“Your advice really helped me today,” Eren said, going back to Levi’s neck. 

“Yeah?” Levi replied while his mind was already going into overdrive. 

“Yes,” Eren retorted, placing another kiss on Levi’s skin. “And now I want to repay you.” 

He rolled his hips and Levi could feel his bulge press against his own. Levi bit back the moan that threatened to escape his mouth and threw his head on the pillow when Eren bucked his hips again, mouth slightly open to let out noises that were driving Levi mad. 

Levi tugged on Eren’s sweater and standing up for a brief moment, Eren took it off, allowing Levi to see his perfect body. Levi reached down between them and undid Eren’s jeans, sliding a hand inside and cupping his hard erection through the underwear. 

“Fuck, Levi,” Eren moaned, jerking his hips forward. 

Levi ran his other hand through Eren’s hair, raising his head to kiss him. He swiftly rolled his tongue inside Eren’s mouth while he freed Eren’s cock from its confines. He gave it a tentative stroke, passing his thumb on the head and spreading the precum that had already gathered there. Eren moan at the back of his throat and Levi couldn’t help the satisfied grin that appeared on his face and that broke their kiss. 

“Levi,” Eren hissed as Levi picked up the pace of his strokes. “I was supposed to…ah….make you feel good.” 

“Don’t worry, I’m really enjoying this,” Levi retorted with a smirk. 

Eren moaned again when Levi tightened his grip a bit more and rested his head on Levi’s shoulder. The sounds he was making were going straight to Levi’s cock that was pressing painfully against his jeans, but Levi was so focused on Eren that for now he could look past the discomfort. Eren, though, had other plans and pushed away Levi’s hand on his cock and started to undo Levi’s pants. 

“Grab the lube,” he said as he pushed Levi’s jeans down his thighs. 

Levi opened the last drawer of his nightstand and took the bottle of lube he kept there before giving it to Eren. Eren had slid down Levi’s underwear as well so that now Levi’s cock was brushing against Eren’s in a feather like touch that was excruciating. 

Eren poured some lube in his hand and pumped Levi, making him squirm underneath him. Levi slid his hands under Eren’s underwear to push them further down together with his jeans. Eren removed his hand and moved his hips, gliding their cocks together which made them both moan. Levi dig his nails in Eren’s ass, urging him to go faster, feeling already close to the edge. Eren took both cocks in his hand and started to stoke in earnest, eager to get off as well. 

“Are you close?” Levi asked in a voice that he didn’t recognise. 

Eren just nodded and lowered his head to kiss Levi’s lips while his hand stroked them faster. He pushed his tongue inside Levi’s mouth, licking and sucking away what remained of Levi’s rationality. Levi let himself be overwhelmed by pleasure and squeezing Eren’s ass harder as a warning, he came. Breaking their kiss, Eren came as well, crying Levi’s name and splattering Levi’s sweater with his come. He collapsed in the small space between Levi and the wall, panting hard in Levi’s ear. 

In the back of his mind, Levi was painfully aware of the disaster on his sweater and probably Eren’s chest too, but he was too blissed out to care. He remained still on the bed, eyes closed and listening to Eren’s breath while he came down from his high . 

Once he his breath was even, he opened his eyes and was immediately met by the mess on his sweater. 

“Disgusting,” he said, grimacing. 

Eren cracked an eye open and his mouth curved into a satisfied smile when he understood what Levi was referring to. 

“I’m sorry,” he said even if his face told the opposite. 

“You’re not better than me,” Levi pointed out, indicating his chest. 

Eren looked down and shrugged, making a move to get closer to Levi. 

“Don’t even think about touching me dirty as you are,” Levi warned him. 

He opened the first drawer of his nightstand and took out a packet of tissues and wet wipes that he tossed to Eren. 

“This’ll do for now,” he said as he took out two other packets for himself. 

“Clean freak,” Eren muttered under his breath, but did as Levi told him. 

Levi removed his sweater, placing it on the ground and staying only in a T-shirt, then he cleaned himself. 

“I’m all clean now, happy?” Eren asked once he was done with himself. “Let me cuddle you now.” 

Levi grunted, but let himself be pulled into Eren’s embrace. Eren buried his nose in the crook of his neck and inhaled deeply, hugging him tightly. Levi wrapped his arms around him and he couldn’t deny that being between Eren’s arms was one of his favourite places to be. They were warm and cosy and reminded him that he wasn’t alone anymore. 

They cuddled for a while, always on the edge of falling asleep when Levi heard the front door open. Eren heard it too because his head shot up and he looked at Levi with a mixture of confusion and horror. 

“It’s my uncle,” Levi explained. 

“What time is it?” Eren asked. 

“Around midnight, I think?” 

“Shit, I have to go home, my mom is going to kill me.” 

“Just wait until my uncle goes to his room and then sneak out.” 

Eren nodded and they both listened to Levi’s uncle climb up the stairs and walk though the hallway. 

“Does your mom know about me?” Levi whispered. 

“Yes, I don’t like keeping secrets from her.” 

“How did she take it?” 

“It was fine,” Eren said. “She already knew I liked boys,” he added when he saw Levi’s questioning look. 

“Oh, good.” 

They listened as another door opened and then closed, probably the bathroom door, Levi guessed. Eren kissed his cheek and then hugged him again, making a small smile appear on Levi’s lips. 

The door opened again and then another one. They closely listened for a few more minutes, but no sounds were coming from outside. 

“You can go now,” Levi said. 

They stood up and Eren grabbed his things, putting his sweater back on before leaving Levi’s room. The house was quiet, and Levi led Eren down the stairs as fast as he could with only one crutch. 

“I’ll see you at school,” he said, opening the door. 

“I’ll text you,” Eren smiled and bent down to kiss him. “Bye, thanks for the evening.” 

“Bye,” Levi said and watched as Eren hopped on his bike and left. 

He locked the door beside him and quickly went to the bathroom to wash himself, before putting on his pyjamas and going back to bed where Eren’s scent still lingered. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is appreciated :)  
> [ My Tumblr ](https://rachel--exe.tumblr.com/)


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! How are you? I hope you're all good and feeling festive (I certainly am) as this chapter is very Christmasy, a bit melancholic to be honest, but I hope you like it anyway :)  
> Thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy!

The semester had officially ended, and the Christmas holidays had arrived, giving almost everyone a chance to relax and take a breather. Levi liked this time of the year, not because he was particularly fond of Christmas or his birthday, but because it was cold enough for him to sit on the sofa, wrapped up in a blanket with a mug of piping hot tea in his hands while watching a basketball game on TV without worrying about school. It was his favourite way of spending the cold winter afternoons, especially now that he didn’t have training to occupy his time.

He had gone to the doctor just a few days before and had been satisfied when he had told him that his ankle was healing properly but had also been disappointed that it hadn’t already fully healed. He knew he couldn’t rush his recovery if he didn’t want to get injured again and more seriously, but he couldn’t help feeling restless. His body ached to play again and each time he stopped by the gym, he envied his teammates for being on the court while he had to sit on the bench. 

The first half of the basketball league had ended with Levi’s team on the lead, even if just for a single point. Even without Levi, his teammates had been able to win the remaining games and thus securing their position on top. 

Levi liked the cold weather also because Eren was always warm and he could steal hugs from him with the pretence of being freezing. He knew he wasn’t as subtle about it as he would have liked, but Eren was always eager to comply and most days, for one reason or another, Levi found himself between Eren’s arms. He had never been one for human contact and he had always tried to avoid it, but when it came to Eren he was drawn to him and he felt oddly comfortable in his embrace. So more often than not their dates consisted of staying at Levi’s house, cuddled up on the couch, watching something on TV or just talking, which Levi didn’t mind. 

Even more often they ended up somewhat naked and Levi didn’t mind that either, even if his ankle always hurt a bit more after those intimate moments and he wished once more that his injury would just heal quicker. 

After days and nights of preparations, Hange had finally organised everything for their Christmas party and had invited both Levi’s and Erwin’s teams along with other people Levi didn’t know (and didn’t care about). They had somehow managed to trick Levi into helping them with decorating the house before the party, so there he was, awkwardly walking around with decorations hanging from his shoulders since his hands were busy with the crutches. Thankfully, Erwin was there too, so he didn’t have to precariously balance himself on a ladder to hang the decorations up. 

“What are you guys doing for Christmas?” Hange asked as they prepared the food for the party. 

“Nothing special,” Erwin said. “My grandparents and uncles are coming over and we’re having a meal together.” 

“Same,” Hange commented. “You, Levi?” 

“I think I’ll pass on the awkward family lunch with my uncle and eat my meal while watching basketball.” 

“Why don’t we do something fun together the day after?” Hange proposed. “Like go ice skating!” 

“I don’t want to risk breaking my ankle while it’s still healing,” Levi retorted. 

“Bad idea, I see that,” Hange replied and scrunched up their face as they were thinking. 

“We could just have a normal movie night together,” Erwin suggested. 

“Yeah, but I wanted to do something special with you guys,” Hange said in a tone that was almost a whine. 

“Don’t tell me you’re getting sentimental now,” Levi said. 

“I’m not,” Hange protested. “I just want to do fun things with you two while we still can.” 

“You make it sound like we’re going to die next year,” Levi retorted. 

“You know what I mean,” Hanje said. 

Levi rolled his eyes. “I know,” he said. “If that makes it more _special_ we could watch something at my place.” 

“If it’s not a problem, I’m in,” Erwin agreed. 

“Yeah, my uncle only spends Christmas day at home.” 

“Will we get to eat your secret stash of cookies?” Hange asked with a knowing grin. 

“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” Levi said, feigning ignorance. “I only have healthy shit in my house.” 

“Don’t lie to me,” Hange exclaimed. “Every time I go to your house you have different kinds of cookies and you don’t even yell at me for eating all of them, so the only possible explanation is because you have loads of cookies.” 

“Maybe I’m just being really nice.” “You can’t fool me,” Hange scoffed. Levi glared at them and mentally cursed himself for having been so careless. 

“Gotcha!” Hange shouted satisfied. 

Erwin, the bastard, smirked at their exchange and was only saved from Levi’s remark by the sound of the doorbell. They had just finished hanging the last decorations and food and beverages were all ready. It was still early in the evening, and the party wasn’t supposed to start for another hour, so Levi guessed that whoever was at the door hadn’t come to celebrate, but when Hange opened the door, Eren, Armin and Mikasa were standing in the porch. 

“Hello, guys,” Hange greeted the trio. “You’re early.” 

“We came to see if we could help with anything,” Armin explained with a smile. 

“There was no need, I already have two little elves helping me,” Hange said, indicating Erwin and Levi. “Well, only one is a little elf,” they added with a grin, looking at Levi who frowned. “But thanks for the thought, it was very kind of you.” 

The three newcomers entered the house, all looking very festive. Armin was wearing a red Christmas jumper with Santa on a slay delivering presents along with blue jeans and Mikasa was wearing a red skirt with black tights and a black jumper with snowflakes on it. Levi expected to see a similar jumper on Eren, to go with the theme of the party and the holidays, but when he took off his coat, Levi was surprised by his choice. He was wearing plain black jeans with a pair of black boots together with a short-sleeved black shirt with different pictures of Santa surfing and palm trees decorated with tinsels and ornaments. Levi was taken aback by the view, but he appreciated the originality and the more he looked at it the more the shirt seemed less ridiculous. 

After hanging his coat, Eren made his way through the living room and stopped in front of Levi. 

“Hi,” he greeted him. 

“Hi,” Levi said. “Nice shirt,” he added ironically. 

“Thanks,” Eren chuckled, looking at the shirt. “I found it in my closet while I was packing and I’m kinda into it. Your jumper isn’t bad either, it suits you.” 

Levi was wearing a plain white jumper with the phrase “this is my Christmas jumper” printed on it. Hange had given it to him a few years back because apparently it made them think of him, so now Levi wore it every time they saw each other during the Christmas holidays. He secretly liked it and he felt it fitted his personality, even if he had never told anyone. 

“This is as festive as I get,” Levi said. 

“So you won’t wear the tacky jumper I bought you that lights up and is covered in red and green pom-poms?” 

“You can take it back to the shop immediately,” Levi retorted, he didn’t even want to see the thing in real life. 

“I’m joking, I would never buy you something like that,” Eren said. 

“Good.” 

They were interrupted by the Christmas music that blast through the house. Levi looked past Eren and saw that Hange and Armin were next to the stereo in the corner of the living room, swapping CDs and consulting Mikasa and Erwin. 

While Michael Bublé filled the room, Levi and Eren went near their friends that were debating on what was the most appropriate music for the night. 

“I say Christmas song all night long,” Hange said with a few CDs in their hands. 

“It gets boring after a while,” Erwin replied. “Let’s do like Armin said, and put a mixture of both.” 

“Your opinion doesn’t count, Erwin, you’re too biased,” Hange said, shrugging apologetic. “You would even put children songs if Armin said so.” 

Armin slightly blushed at the comment and Erwin shook his head, amused. Levi couldn’t help but agreeing with Hange. 

“I say, let’s put some classical music so everyone feels sleepy and the party ends soon,” Levi said. 

“Oh, shut up,” Hange scoffed. “I’m sure you’ll love this party once I bring out the piñata.” 

“I’ll enjoy myself if someone gets hit by the baseball bat.” 

“I admit it would be funny,” Hange grinned. 

“Mikasa and I think this could work,” Eren said, handing Hange a CD. He was standing next to his sister and they had been going through the CDs with her. 

“What do you think, guys?” Hange said, showing the rest of the group a CD titled “Hits 2000”. 

“It could work,” Armin said, “Maybe we’ll insert some Christmas songs every once in a while.” 

“Even if my opinion doesn’t count, I agree,” Erwin said. 

“Yeah, it’s trashy enough, it fits with the piñata,” Levi shrugged. 

“It’s settled then,” Hange said, putting the CD next to the stereo. “Now let’s decorate the outside while there’s still time.” 

They all took some decorations and then went outside to hang some lights, tinsels and random Santa figures that lit up in the dark. The music reached them through the walls and they were all lightly chatting with each other, all wrapped up in their coats, as they finished the party preparations. 

While they were admiring their work, two cars arrived and parked in front of Hange’s house. Soon after some of Levi’s teammates got out of the car along with a few soccer players and two girls. 

“Merry Christmas everyone and welcome to my party,” Hange greeted them. 

The group walked to the house where they all exchanged seasonal greetings, and someone even complimented the decorations, then they all went inside. 

Slowly, more people started to arrive, and the house was soon filled with guests. Hange dimmed the lights and lit up the fairy lights to give the room a party atmosphere. 

Levi was sat on a stool in the kitchen together with Eren, Armin and Erwin, while Mikasa was talking to some of her classmates and Hange was making sure everyone felt welcomed and had enough to eat and drink. 

“How are you guys doing in league?” Levi asked while they drank some hot chocolate. 

“We’re seconds with only point from the first team,” Erwin replied. 

“Too bad,” Levi grinned behind his mug. 

“We’ll make up for it in the second semester,” Erwin replied, confidently. 

“Who’s first?” 

“The Rose Titans.” 

“What a stupid name,” Levi retorted. “And their fans are so disgusting, they left trash all over the stands last time they were here. You better kick their asses.” 

“We will, if only to teach them to be cleaner,” Erwin joked. 

“I’ll take it as my personal battle, babe,” Eren chuckled. 

Erwin and Armin exchanged an eloquent glance, smirking. 

“Thanks,” Levi said while he hid his embarrassment by drinking the hot chocolate. 

“Who’s that guy following Hange?” Armin said looking towards the living room. 

They all looked in that direction and saw a brunet with a middle parting stalking behind Hange, obviously trying to start a conversation with them, but Hange was busy going from group to group and chatting with other people. 

“I think he’s called Moblit?” Erwin said. “Hange tutored him at the beginning of the year.” 

“I think he wants some more tutoring,” Levi retorted with a grin. 

For the rest of the party, they all enjoyed watching the guy hopelessly trail after Hange while they were oblivious about it. Their friend kept talking to other people, exchanging a few words with Moblit from time to time, but the guy didn’t back down. Only once, he left Hange’s side but only to get something to drink for them. 

Even when Hange stopped by them, he was there. 

“Are you enjoying yourselves, guys?” they said. 

“Yes, very much,” Armin replied with a smile. 

“I’m glad to hear that,” Hange replied. “This is Moblit, he’s become my little helper this evening.” 

They all greeted him, exchanging knowing grins with each other, while the guy presented himself. 

“I’m about to bring out the piñata,” Hange said. “Who wants a go?” 

“I’ll pass,” Levi said before Hange started to get strange ideas. 

“What? You could have used one of your crutches.” 

“I’m going to use it on you one of these days.” 

“No candies for you then,” Hange replied to which Levi just rolled his eyes. 

“I’m sure one of the other guys will love to do it,” Erwin suggested. 

“Yeah, I’ll ask around,” Hange replied. “See you later guys,” they added and left with Moblit still trailing behind them. 

Soon after that, Hange brought out a giant piñata that they hang in the living room. Everyone was excited about it and Mike and another guy were the first ones to be blindfolded. They didn’t manage to break the paper horse, but they did risk to break some of Hange’s vases. All the guests wanted to give it a go and when they couldn’t, they all cheered the person that was blindfolded and made disappointed sights when they didn’t succeed. 

Levi and his friends had moved from the kitchen to the living room to watch the show and were all ready to get a share of the candy inside, even Levi. After a few people had had their chance to be the victor, someone from the soccer team, Jean, Levi reminded he was called, finally broke the piñata and some of the candies started to fall down. Some other players rushed to the object and started to tear apart the rest of the paper and soon everyone was fighting for the sweets inside. 

Eren managed to find an empty spot and he came out from the mass of people holding some candies. 

“Here,” he said, going back to Levi, Armin and Erwin. 

“Thanks,” Armin said, and they all took a candy each. 

Levi got a big candy cane that was about to break his teeth while the others got some liquorish, gummy bears and even a small chocolate Santa that was all melted. 

“That’s not very appealing,” Armin said, when Erwin opened the small Santa. 

Erwin shrugged and put the chocolate in his mouth. “It’s still good, though.” 

“You’ve got chocolate all over your mouth,” Armin chuckled. 

“Where?” Erwin asked, touching his lips. 

“Here,” Armin replied and with his thumb, he cleaned a corner of Erwin’s mouth. 

“Thanks,” Erwin said while Armin licked his thumb with an evident blush. 

Levi rolled his eyes, this was getting too sappy for his liking. 

“Do you mind if we step out for a bit?” Eren asked as if reading Levi’s mind. 

“Let’s go, I doubt these two will miss us,” Levi replied giving the couple a side glance and following Eren towards the door. 

They grabbed their coats and then went outside. In front of the house there were a few people chatting together, eating and drinking, so they went to the back where there was no one around, but was still illuminated by the light coming from the windows. 

“It was starting to get too awkward for me,” Levi said after they stopped. There weren’t chairs or benches to sit, so they had to stand in front of each other. 

“Yeah, for me too,” Eren said. “But that’s not the only reason why asked you to come out.” 

“Isn’t it?” Levi grinned. 

“I want to give you a present,” Eren said. Not what Levi was expecting. 

“I didn’t buy you anything,” Levi said, he hadn’t even thought about it. 

“It’s fine, this is for your birthday, not for Christmas.” 

Eren pulled out a small box from the pocket of his coat and gave it to Levi. He took the crutches from Levi so that he could freely open the box and watched as Levi unwrapped his present. When Levi open the box, there was a simple black wax wire bracelet inside with a small key as ornament. It was simple and elegant, nothing too fancy, but Levi immediately liked it. 

“Thank you,” he said, taking the bracelet in his hands and looking at it from all angles. 

“Do you like it?” Eren asked. 

“Yeah, it’s beautiful.” 

“It’s just something to remind you of me while I’m gone,” Eren said with a melancholic tone to his voice. 

_Like I need something to remind me of you_ Levi thought, but didn’t say. 

They hadn’t talked much about the fact that Eren would spend the Christmas holidays in another town, miles away from him, in fact they barely mentioned it. Levi didn’t want to be reminded of it, because it made him feel only more dejected. He usually spent all his holidays by himself, hanging out from time to time with Hange and Erwin, but this year he couldn’t help but feel lonely at the thought of Eren being away. 

“Here, put it on me,” Levi said, handing the bracelet to Eren. 

Eren put the crutches against the wall and then slid the jewellery on his wrist, keeping Levi’s hand in his own after the bracelet was on and gently caressing it. 

“I’m going to miss you,” he said. 

“When will you come back?” Levi asked. 

“Right after New Year’s but I’ll be busy unpacking the boxes in the new house.” 

“I could come to help,” Levi offered. 

“There’s no need, Mikasa, my mom and I will do it,” Eren replied. “It’ll be like a way to reorder our lives and our family.” 

“Call me if you ever need anything,” Levi said. 

Eren smiled. “I will,” he said and let go of Levi’s hand, wrapping his arms around Levi’s waist and bringing their bodies closer. 

Levi encircled Eren’s neck with his arms and tilted his head to meet Eren’s lips in a kiss. Their mouths moved together, hands clinging to each other, touching and tasting. Eren’s tongue teased Levi’s lips and was granted entrance. Levi soon found himself pressed against the wall with Eren tracing the insides of his mouth, leaving him breathless. Levi eagerly followed Eren’s tongue, licking and sucking, until they were forced to part, both gasping for air. 

Eren tightened his embrace and Levi buried his nose in the crook of his neck. 

“We should get back inside,” Levi muffled against Eren’s coat. 

“I know,” Eren said, but didn’t let Levi go. 

He took Levi’s face between in his hands and caressed his cheeks with his thumbs, while Levi held onto his wrists. He bent down and placed a gentle kiss on Levi’s lips, softly smiling after they lips parted. 

“Let’s go then,” he said and took Levi’s crutches to give them to him. 

“Thanks,” Levi said, taking them and together they headed towards the entrance of the house. 

Once inside, they found Armin and Erwin sat on an armchair, chatting with Mikasa and Hange, and they joined them. The party was slowly dying down and a few people had already left, while others were either asleep on the sofa or too wasted to be of any company. 

Levi stayed a few more hours with Eren always threatening to fall asleep on his shoulder until they all decided to go home. Levi had come to the party with Erwin, so after saying goodbye to Hange, Erwin went to take his car out of the parking lot while Levi waited for him with Eren while Armin and Mikasa were still chatting with their host. 

“I guess I’ll see you at school, then,” Levi said. 

“I guess so,” Eren replied. “Hopefully, I’ll find some time to see you after I come back, but I can’t promise.” 

“Don’t be a brat and stay with your family,” Levi retorted “You need it.” 

A corner of Eren’s mouth quirked up and he placed a hand on Levi’s cheek before speaking. 

“I can’t promise that either,” he said. 

“Tch,” Levi replied, rolling his eyes, but he was fighting to hold back a grin. 

Eren smiled wider and then kissed Levi’s lips, lingering longer than usual as to imprint the feeling on his memory. Levi didn’t pull back, but simply squeezed Eren’s hand, trying to prolongate the moment. 

When the kiss eventually broke, Erwin’s car was waiting in front of the house and Levi had to go. With a final goodbye, he parted from Eren until the new year. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos are highly appreciated and keep this fic going :)  
> [ My Tumblr ](https://rachel--exe.tumblr.com/)


	18. Chapter 18

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! It's update time again and unfortunately no Eren in this chapter, I really missed him when writing it, but next chapter will make up for his absence ;)  
> Please, enjoy!

It was a few days after Christmas and Levi was waiting for Erwin and Hange to arrive. He was getting everything ready for their movie afternoon, gathering food and drinks in the living room and taking out the blankets from the cabinet under the TV. Apparently, Hange wanted to make them watch a Christmas musical, Levi didn’t know which one precisely, but he hoped it was a good one; he wasn’t in the mood for terrible movies. They were still obsessed with that movie genre, but out of all the films they had watched together, Levi still liked _Les Misérables_ best, even because it reminded him of Eren.

The boy was constantly on his mind and Levi had never thought it would be so hard to be separated from him. He was used to seeing Eren almost every day since they got together, and now that he was in a different state, his absence heavily weighted on him. They occasionally texted and called each other, but Eren’s grandma’s house had really bad service, so the message arrived with a lot of delay and the phone calls never lasted too long. 

From time to time, Levi found himself playing with the bracelet Eren had given him and each time he did, a smile appeared on his face. During this time apart he questioned his feelings more and more, not because he was having any doubts; it was quite the opposite, in fact. What he was feeling for Eren was so new and overwhelming that it almost scared him. He was afraid of exposing himself and then being dumped after putting himself out so much. 

In his mind, Levi knew that Eren wasn’t that kind of person and he had proved that to him may times during the few weeks they had been together, but Levi couldn’t help the feeling. It was a first time for him in all senses, not only physically, but also (and especially) sentimentally and he didn’t quite know how to handle his feelings. 

While he was thinking about his relationship with Eren, Levi had finished preparing everything for the little get-together. He had even brought out two packets from his secret stash of cookies (dark chocolate and gingerbread) and had placed them on the small table between the couch and the TV along with some pop corns, chips and various beverages. 

As he waited for his friends, Levi sat on the sofa, fishing out his phone from his pocket to see if there were any new messages. He had sent Eren one right after waking up that morning, but he hadn’t received a reply all day, so he was hoping to see a notification pop up on the screen. Unfortunately, there were none, so Levi put the phone away and started to do some exercises with his ankle. He had stopped using the crutches while he was at home and usually walked normally, careful not to put too much weight on his bad ankle, but overall, he was starting to use it more and more. He even did a few exercises every day to gain a bit of flexibility back and get the muscles to work again, but he never did too much. He was still afraid of ruining his ankle again, so until he could go to the doctor’s or talk to his coach, he just took things easy. 

Levi was still stretching his foot, when he heard a car park in front of his house, followed by Hange’s voice calling him from outside. He stood up from the couch and went to the door, opening it to let his friends in. 

“Hello, Levi,” Hange shouted, waiving their hands. 

“Hi,” Levi greeted them. He was sure that by now the whole neighbourhood knew he had guests. 

Hange made their way to the front door with Erwin right behind them carrying a paper bag in his hands. 

“Hello, Levi,” he said, reaching the door. “I baked some cupcakes.” 

“Which flavour?” Levi asked, taking the bag from him. 

“Red velvet.” 

“You’re allowed to come in then,” Levi said. 

The two of them went inside and headed to the living room where their friend was already messing with the DVD player, a DVD case in their hands. Hange had dumped their coat and backpack on the couch, completely disregarding the hanger right next to the door, so Levi had to hang their things for them. 

“What are watching today?” Levi asked after putting everything back in order. 

“ _High School Musical_ ,” Hange replied with their eyes on the blue TV screen. 

“Excuse me?” Levi said, not sure he heard right. 

“You know which one I mean.” 

“I’m not even going to bother talking you out of it,” Levi replied, resigned. 

“Everyone says it’s good and that it’s a classic, but I’ve never watched it,” Hange said. “And neither did you, I guess.” 

“I don’t feel like I’m missing out.” 

“I have to agree with Levi on this one,” Erwin intervened. 

“You can’t say for sure if you’ve never watched it,” Hange pointed out. “Plus I’ve heard the last one is pretty emotional.” 

“How many movies are there?” 

“Three.” 

“We won’t get out of this alive, Erwin,” Levi said, facing his friend. 

“And here we thought that parodies were bad,” Erwin retorted with a desperate expression on his face. 

“Stop being so dramatic, you two, and sit down on the couch,” Hange scolded them as the DVD menu appeared on the screen together with a song from the soundtrack. 

Levi rolled his eyes and sat on the couch, grabbing a cupcake from the trail; if he was going to spend the next hours in immense agony, then at least he wanted to have something nice to eat. Erwin sat on the other end of the couch and they both waited for Hange to finally press play. When everything was ready, Hange sat on the sofa as well and then started the movie. 

At the beginning, Levi thought it was pure bullshit. It was so cheesy and cliché and the way they were dressed was plain awful that he couldn’t understand what was so appealing, but as soon as they started singing, he had to admit that the songs were quite catchy and by the end of the first ten minutes he was already humming the tune. What caught his attention the most, though, was the basketball. It wasn’t the best game play he had ever seen, and it was all too fake, but he didn’t mind it that much. The more the movie went on, the more invested he was in it, he didn’t know what it was precisely that kept him glued to the screen, but when the credits rolled at the end of the movie, he was almost shocked by how not bad the movie was. 

“Did you guys like it?” Hange asked as soon as the film ended. 

“It was okay,” Levi shrugged. 

“I thought it was going to be much worse,” Erwin honestly replied. 

“See? What did I tell you?” Hange happily exclaimed. “I don’t know how to feel about the outfits, though.” 

“Even the basketball uniforms were weird,” Levi said. 

“The songs were okay,” Hange said. “Not like _Les Misérables_ but still catchy.” 

“I suppose we’ll have to watch the other two movies as well,” Erwin said with an expression that wasn’t as desperate as before. 

“Of course! I don’t have them here, but next time we’ll watch those.” 

Erwin nodded, and the conversation naturally died down. Hange took a cupcake from the trail, humming the last song of the movie, and Levi followed their example. 

“How’s Eren doing?” Hange asked while biting into the sweet. 

“He’s fine,” Levi replied. 

“I love how expansive you are,” Hange ironically said.

Levi huffed. “The service is really shitty where he is, so we can barely send each other a few text messages a day.” 

“That sucks,” Hange said disappointed. 

Levi agreed while he continued to eat his cupcake, but he was eyeing Hange suspiciously. There was something off about them, Levi didn’t know what, but they were quieter than usual and often spaced out, staring at something for a few seconds before coming back to earth, like they were trying to decide something. Erwin had noticed it too and looked at Levi furrowing his brows as if to ask him if he knew what was going on, but Levi replied by shaking his head. 

“Is everything okay with you?” Erwin asked. 

“Yeah, of course, why?” Hange replied, turning their head in his direction. 

“You seem a bit off.” 

“You’re behaving like a normal person,” Levi said. 

Hange bit their bottom lip, as if trying to decide something. “Have you guys had sex yet?” they finally asked. 

Erwin and Levi looked at each other confused for a moment, before going back to Hange. 

“No,” Levi replied. 

“Yes,” Erwin said instead. 

“How was it?” Hange asked. 

“Great, why do you ask?” 

“I don’t think I want to have sex,” Hange said, looking at both of them in the eyes. 

“What do mean?” Levi asked. 

“I mean that I’m asexual.” 

The statement was followed by a moment of silence where Erwin and Levi looked at each other once more and then moved their eyes to Hange. They were biting their bottom lip with a worried expression Levi had never seen on their face and in that moment, he realised how afraid they were of being judged and how hard it must have been for them to come out. 

“When did you understand it?” Erwin said. 

“About a month ago,” Hange muttered. “I was wondering why I never find anyone sexually attractive, so I did some research online, read articles here and there and ultimately, I realised I’m asexual.” 

“Why didn’t you tell us?” Erwin said. “We could have helped you.”

Hange shrugged. “I didn’t know how you’d react.” 

“Did you think we were going to tell you we’re not your friends anymore?” Levi asked. 

“I had an inkling you wouldn’t insult me or give me the “it’s just a phase” talk, but I was still nervous to say it out loud,” Hange replied. “You’re the first people I’ve ever told it.”

“Of course we wouldn’t,” Erwin said. “You’re still our friend, whether you want to have sex or not.” 

“Not everyone thinks that way.” 

“If other people are so desperate to have sex, they can go fuck themselves,” Levi said. 

Hange giggled and the worried expression on their face slowly faded away, replaced by their usual craziness. They threw their arms over Erwin’s and Levi’s shoulders, bringing them closer to their face in a tight hug. 

“I love you so much, guys,” they said. 

“We love you too,” Erwin replied chuckling. 

“Maybe,” Levi said, but the grin on his face told Hange he was just teasing them. 

Hange planted a kiss on their cheeks before releasing them and slumping on the couch. 

“It feels so good having said it,” they announced. 

“You really haven’t told anyone?” Erwin asked. 

“Yeah, I wanted to start easy.” 

“Not even Moblit?” Levi asked with a grin. 

“No, why would I have told him?” Hange replied, looking at him, eyebrows furrowed in confusion. 

Levi and Erwin looked at each other disbelievingly. 

“He clearly has a thing for you,” Levi said. 

“What? How much did you drink that night?” 

“How much did _you_ drink for not seeing it?” Levi said. “He clung to you all night.” 

“Only because I was the only person he knew,” Hange replied. 

“Unbelievable,” Levi said, amused by their friend’s obliviousness. 

“Is it true?” they asked turning towards Erwin. 

“Yes, Hange, he was like begging you to notice him,” Erwin replied. 

“You must have misunderstood him,” Hange told them. “Plus I still have to figure out a few things about myself first,” they muttered. 

“I know, and it’s okay,” Erwin said with a kind smile. “It was just a heads-up so that it won’t come as a surprise when he confesses to you.” 

“So that you won’t look like an idiot,” Levi said. “It’s going to be quite hard, though, since you always look like one.” 

“ _I_ would look like an idiot?” Hange grinned. “What about all those months I kept telling you Eren was madly in love with you and you didn’t listen to me?” 

Levi glared at them, but he knew Hange had been right all along. 

“Fuck off,” he said. 

“See? I can’t be a worse idiot than you,” Hange smirked. “And I won’t be one, because what you’re saying it’s not true.” 

“I’ll remember these words,” Levi replied. 

“The only one that doesn’t look like an idiot is Erwin,” Hange said, turning towards their friend. “I can’t make fun of him.” 

“I just know what I want, and I pursue it,” Erwin simply replied. 

“That sounds like the title of an awful self-hep book,” Levi scoffed. 

Erwin chuckled and shrugged his shoulders. “It’s the truth,” he said. 

Levi rolled his eyes and grabbed a packet of cookies, shoving it in Erwin’s hands. 

“Eat these and shut up,” he said with no malice in his voice. 

“The secret stash,” Hange whispered to Erwin. 

Levi glared at them and took the other packet of cookies from the table. 

“You too shut up,” he said, putting it in Hange’s hands. 

Hange grinned and took a cookie from the packet, entirely putting it in their mouth. Erwin followed her example, in a more civil way though and Levi went back to the cupcakes. 

After their little food break, Levi brought out table games and they spent the rest of the evening playing and chatting until it was time for Hange and Erwin to go home. 

When his friends left right before dinner, Levi cleaned the living room, and put everything back in order, throwing away the trash and washing the cups and plates they had used. After having eaten almost all the cupcakes by himself, he wasn’t particularly hungry, so he made himself a sandwich and a cup of green tea, before sitting again on the couch and watching a basketball game. 

While his eyes were staring at the TV screen, his mind was somewhere else. He checked his phone for any new messages, but even this time there were none. He couldn’t help but wonder what Eren was doing, how he was spending the holidays, and how much his parents’ divorce had come up during family meals. Even when Erwin and Hange were with him, Levi felt like something was missing and his thoughts often went miles away from his house to where Eren was. 

Once the basketball game ended, Levi showered and changed into his pyjamas before going to his room and opening his laptop. The first thing he did, though, was to check his phone and this time there was a new message waiting for him. He quickly unlocked his phone, heart skipping a beat when he saw it was from Eren, and avidly read the few lines in front of him. 

**Eren: Hi! I don’t know when you’ll receive this text, but I just wanted to wish you a good day. I can’t wait to see you again, I miss you <3 **

A smile spread on Levi’s face at reading the message and he quickly typed a reply. 

**Me: Your text has just arrived, I had a good day, Erwin and Hange came over and we watched something I never thought I’d watch. I hope you had a nice day too, miss you too**

Levi pressed the send button, fully aware that the message would reach Eren only much later, unfortunately. The time of the text Eren sent was 10.28 and it was over eleven hours later now, so the immense delay in receiving messages made it almost impossible to have a normal and coherent conversation. Still, Levi kept his phone close to him while he browsed the internet on his laptop, glancing at it from time to time, hoping to see a new message from Eren, but that didn’t happen. 

It was already quite late, and his uncle had already come home when Levi finally went to sleep. He checked his phone one last time, staring at the glowing screen for a few seconds before putting it on the night stand. He had never been so ready for school to start again. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! It's me again, I didn't want to write this in the notes at the beginning because I didn't want to spoil anything for you (even if the tags might have), but as you've read, I've included asexuality in this story as I wanted to be as inclusive as possible. I say that fully aware that I haven't explored many sexual orientations and that I probably won't, but I still want to reach out to as many people as I can <3  
> I've also introduced a possible love interest for Hange, let me know what you think about it as I still don't know how it'll play out (as always) :)  
> [ My Tumblr ](https://rachel--exe.tumblr.com/)


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! The new chapter is here and Eren is finally back ;)  
> Please enjoy! :)

The holidays ended and with them also Levi’s time outside the court. He had been to the doctor’s to get his ankle checked once more and he had been glad to hear that it was almost completely healed. He still had to take it slow and gradually get back into playing again, but he didn’t have to wear the crutches anymore and could freely walk wherever he wanted. He didn’t expect to be playing full games as soon as the league started, and he was the first one willing to sit on the bench a bit more in order to enter the court when he could help his team without getting injured again, but at least now he could train again and feel the rough material of the basketball under his fingertips.

On the first day of going back to school he got his training bag ready, and for the first time in over a month he walked to school. It was a typical grey, January morning, it had been raining for a couple of days, so the ground was full of puddles and mud, yet Levi didn’t seem to care. He had come to like this kind of weather as it reminded him of that November day Eren and him had spent cuddled up on the sofa right after their first kiss. Levi had to admit to himself that he was becoming quite sentimental, not something he had ever thought he would be, but Eren had affected him in so many unexpected ways that he was changing without realising it. 

He was supposed to meet Eren at the front gate of the school right before classes started, so he left his house a bit sooner than usual, wanting to spend some time with him after not having seen each other for many weeks. Eren had come back home right after New Year’s but the two of them hadn’t been able to meet yet as Eren had been very busy with unpacking everything in the new house. They did, however, manage to text and call each other more often than before and that had made it a bit easier to stay apart. 

On the roads there were only few cars passing by and when Levi reached the school, the courtyard was still almost empty, but he immediately recognised the figure standing in front of the entrance door. He walked towards it with his heart pounding in his chest and an unfamiliar sensation filling his stomach with butterflies. His breath almost stopped when Eren widely smiled at him. Had he always been that beautiful? Yes, Levi answered to himself, but that morning he was even more handsome than usual, making Levi’s cheeks heat up before even talking to him. 

“Hi,” Levi said, stopping in front of him. 

“Hi,” Eren replied. The corners of his eyes crinkled for how much he was smiling, and Levi soon found himself between his arms. He hugged Eren back, burying his face in his coat and inhaling the familiar smell while Eren held him close to him in an almost crushing embrace. 

“I’m so happy to finally see you again,” Eren said, pulling back enough to look at Levi in the face, but still keeping him between his arms. 

Levi’s lips curved up in a small smile and he stood on his tip toes to press his lips on Eren’s. He had missed everything about him, his smell, his touch, the softness of lips, his warmth, and finally being able to feel all those things again simply made him happy. 

When the kiss broke, Eren pecked Levi’s cheek before hugging him again. 

“You’re so clingy today,” Levi said, pushing Eren away to breathe. 

“I’m sorry,” Eren chuckled, finally letting Levi go. 

“Let’s go inside, it’s too cold here.” 

Eren took Levi’s hand and together they headed inside the school. 

“You’ve healed!” Eren said, noticing for the first time that Levi wasn’t using his crutches. 

“Yeah, but I still have to take it slow.” 

“I’m glad,” Eren smiled. “It means I can finally hold your hand,” he added, kissing the back of Levi’s hand. 

“Tch,” Levi clicked his tongue as he rolled his eyes and his cheeks warmed up at the gesture. 

They caught up with each other until classes started and they had to separate with Eren stealing as many kisses as he could before parting. Levi felt a bit overwhelmed by all of this, but he certainly wasn’t going to complain. He had missed Eren too much not to take advantage of his clinginess. Still, there was something inside of him that made his stomach turn into a knot and he didn’t quite know what it was. The feeling wasn’t like the time Eren confessed to him or like during their dates, it was an unknown sensation that made him feel even more restless. 

He pushed these thoughts to the side when he entered the biology lab where Hange sat at their usual table, flipping through the pages of a book in front of them while they chewed a pencil. They raised their eyes when they heard Levi’s footsteps and then smiled at him. 

“Good morning, Levi,” they said. 

“Hi,” Levi greeted them, sitting next to them. 

“How’s it going? Did you enjoy the last days of the holidays?” 

“They were fine, how about you?” 

“I told my parents I’m asexual,” they said. 

“How did it go?” Levi asked, raising his eyebrows. 

“Good, I think?” Hange said. “They’re pretty open minded and assured me they still loved me, but I don’t think they fully understood. Knowing them, they’re probably slacking off at work to read articles about asexuality all day.” 

“It’s a good thing, they’re getting informed instead of judging without knowing.” 

“I know, they’re the best,” Hange replied with a grin. 

Levi spent most of his classes waiting for school to be over so that he could play basketball again. Now that his ankle had healed, he could finally start training once more and hopefully play in some official matches soon enough. He was the first to arrive at the lockers and he changed into his uniform in a matter of seconds to use all the time he had to be on the court. 

When he entered the gym, the coach was already there, going through some papers and signing things with his pen, but as soon as he heard Levi enter, he closed everything and signalled Levi to go over to him. Together, they set up a temporary training regime just for Levi so that he could ease back into practice without being too harsh on his ankle. 

Levi immediately took a ball and started bouncing it around the court, the rough fabric of the sphere so familiar and comforting that Levi could have spent the entire afternoon doing just that. He had circled the court a couple of times, when other players started to get into the gym, and among them there was Erwin as well. 

“The ground is too wet to train outside,” he explained when he stood next to Levi. 

“I thought so,” Levi replied, holding the ball under his arm and gaining his breath. 

“Are you free this Saturday?” Erwin asked. 

“Yeah, why?” 

“I thought we could finish watching _High school musical_ while we don’t have a lot to study and our leagues only start next weekend.” 

“Yeah, that’s fine,” Levi shrugged. 

While they were talking Eren had changed and was now approaching them. 

“Hi, guys,” he said, stopping next to Levi and encircling his waist with an arm. 

“Hi,” Levi replied. 

“Are you free this Saturday?” Erwin asked. 

“I think so,” Eren replied. 

“Would like to join our movie night? Armin is coming too.” 

“Sure, what are we watching?” 

“ _High school musical 2_ and possibly the last one as well.” 

“I’ve never pictured you guys the types to watch that kind of movie,” Eren said surprised. 

“Hange forces those movies on us,” Levi said. 

“And we secretly enjoy them,” Erwin added with a smirk. 

“I secretly enjoy them too,” Eren said smiling. “I’ve already watched them, but I’m in.” 

“Perfect,” Erwin smiled. “I’ll go check on the others now,” he said, leaving Levi and Eren. 

“Do you want to go home together?” Eren asked once they were alone. 

“I think I’ll stay a bit longer at practice today,” Levi replied. 

“Didn’t the doctor say that you have to take it slow?” Eren asked. 

“I’ll train other parts of my body.” 

“Just don’t overdo it, okay?” Eren said. 

Levi rolled his eyes, but moved closer to Eren, lightly bumping against his shoulder to show his appreciation for Eren’s concern. 

Soon after, both teams were called to start training from their respective coaches, dividing the gym into two parts so that everyone could train without bothering the others. Levi ran a few laps of the court with his teammates, catching up with them and sharing basketball tips, and then moved on to stretch his muscles. They were all a bit rusty, especially the ones near his newly healed ankle, and he was surprised by it. He was very fit before the injury, but now it seemed like his body had forgotten about it. 

He stretched and loosened his muscles until he felt they were less stiff than before. He worked one on one with Mike and was glad to find out that at least his basketball skills were as good as before and still managed to steal the ball from his teammate, wearing a huge grin on his face every time he did so. 

When the coach told them to play a little match among them, Levi sat on the bench to rest his ankle and catch his breath. There was a faint pain on his ankle, nothing too serious, but Levi still laid it on the bench while watching his teammates play. They had all improved their game, or maybe Levi thought so because he hadn’t seen them play in a long time, but the fact that they were that good made him eager to compete with them again and work hard to get to the point where he was before. 

He entered the court a few times, but for the majority of the time he stayed outside and did some weight lifting, so that he was still training, but his ankle was resting. While he was doing that, he also threw glances at the soccer team, watching Eren play with his friends and laugh with them. He would often get scolded by the coach for being too distracted and each time he did, Levi’s mouth curved into an amused smile. He remembered when at the beginning of the year his teammates had been angry at him, during the time when his father had left home, so seeing him now happier and more light-hearted was a good change. From time to time, Eren would catch Levi looking at him and he widely smiled or winked at him, and each time Levi’s stomach twisted the same way it had been doing the entire morning. 

“Let’s wrap this up, boys,” the coach said after the team finished the game. “That’s enough for today.” 

Everyone in the team was panting and wiping away the sweat from their forehead, clearly glad that practice was over, but Levi just moved from weights to abs. 

“I’ll allow you to stay here half an hour more, Levi,” the coach told him. “You shouldn’t overuse your ankle.” 

“I’ve been resting it enough,” Levi replied while starting with his exercise. 

“Alright, but still only half an hour.” 

Levi nodded and continued his workout. While he was at it, the soccer team finished as well, and the gym was soon empty, only the sound of Levi’s heavy puffs filling the silence. The coach was still there to keep an eye on him while he finished going through the papers from before. Every once in a while, he gave Levi some instructions on what to do and where to focus more, but otherwise they both worked in silence. 

Levi trained fast but meticulously, going though his usual workout routine: abs, basketball drills, rope, and some more shots. He ended his training with a fast walk around the court and then stretching again, his muscles pulsing from the strain. 

“Well done, Levi,” the coach said, packing his stuff. “Get a good night sleep and you’ll be as good as before in no time.” 

Levi put away the basketball and then left the gym together with the coach, saying his goodbyes, before entering the locker room. As he expected, there was no one there and he knew he had to shower quickly for the school was about to close. He stripped from his uniform and then went to the shower stalls, closing the curtain behind him before turning on the shower. The hot water was like balm for his tense muscles and he stretched his neck a few times as the water hit it. 

He had already washed his hair and was now scrubbing his abdomen, back turned to the curtain, when he heard a noise behind him. He turned around, more confused than anything, and was met with a vision that made his cock immediately twitch. Eren was standing in front of him, naked and looking like a heaven-sent figure, his hair was loose and was perfectly framing his face. His smile was a mixture of mischievous, shy and aroused, making Levi’s breath hitch in his throat. All Levi could do was gape at the vision, mouth pathetically open while he took every inch of Eren’s body in. 

“What…?” Levi started to say but words seemed to escape him in that moment. 

Eren locked eyes with him and moved closer to Levi, taking Levi’s face between his hands. 

“I really missed you, Levi,” he said. 

Levi gazed into his eyes and he knew Eren meant it, more than anything. 

“Me too,” Levi whispered. 

Eren bent down to kiss his lips. At first it was slow and gentle, but then it became something else, hungrier and more desperate, and Levi soon found himself against the tiled wall. He was as desperate as Eren and all the days they had spent apart came to fuel his need. He moved his hands down Eren’s back, caressing it and lightly scraping it with his nails in an attempt to ground himself to something while his whole body was overtaken by desire. 

He opened his mouth to let Eren in, eagerly responding to his kiss with his own tongue. Eren soon moved to his neck, leaving Levi to regain his breath as best as he could. While Eren sucked and bit his neck, Levi moved a hand between their bodies, bringing their hard cocks closer until they were sliding against each other. Eren moaned and rested his head on Levi’s shoulder while Levi started to stoke in earnest. 

“Levi,” Eren panted as Levi wiped his thumb over their tips, spreading the precum gathered there. 

Levi ran a hand through Eren’s hair, pulling it enough to make Eren lift his head and then he crashed his lips with Eren’s, swiftly rolling his tongue inside his mouth as he continued to stroke both of them. Eren was making little moaning sounds at the back of his throat that spurred Levi on and made him all the more frantic to hear more. 

He let go of his cock, holding only Eren’s in his hand, and breaking the kiss, he whispered in Eren’s ear: 

“Touch me.” 

Eren was quick to comply and wrapped his hand around Levi’s cock, pumping him in time with Levi’s own hand. Levi groaned from the pleasure, biting his bottom lip as he felt himself on the verge of orgasm. Eren covered Levi’s mouth with his own, letting Levi roll his tongue inside his mouth while they kept stroking each other. Levi tasted and sucked with a burning desire to re-discover every part of Eren once again and an endless need to feel him on his skin. 

When the kiss broke Eren rested his forehead on Levi’s, panting hard against him while he continued to stoke Levi, twisting his wrist in a way that brought Levi closer to his release. 

“I’m close,” he warned Levi as his movements started to lose their rhythm. 

Levi stoked him harder, tightening his grip just enough to give Eren more pleasure and was soon rewarded by a low moan as Eren came in his hand. Seeing Eren’s face was all Levi needed and he came as well, panting Eren’s stomach with his come that was soon washed away by the water falling on them. 

Still panting, Eren softly smiled at Levi and that made Levi’s stomach fill with butterflies more than everything they had just done. He stood on his tip toes and kissed Eren’s lips slowly and tenderly. 

“I think we should go,” he said when their lips parted. 

Eren turned off the water and opened the shower curtain before walking out. The locker room was quiet and deserted, which relieved Levi as he was afraid someone might have heard them in the shower, but evidently no one was round. 

They dried themselves and changed into their clothes, before switching the lights off and leaving the room. 

“Do you want to go home together?” Eren asked as they walked through the hallways towards the exit. 

“Sure,” Levi said. 

Eren smiled and held his hand to which Levi didn’t complain, he still felt the need to be somehow connected to Eren. It was something stronger than how he had felt before and he attributed it to the time they had spent apart, but part of him knew it was something else. 

They left the school and headed in Eren’s house direction as Levi was trying to get as much as exercise as he possibly could. The streets were mostly empty, just a few kids on their bikes going back home and a few people on an evening walk. 

“Did you finish unpacking?” Levi asked. 

“Not at all,” Eren laughed. “There’s so much stuff everywhere, but for the moment we’re going to unpack only what we need.” 

“I imagine,” Levi said. “Do you like the house better now?” 

“I guess,” Eren shrugged. “It doesn’t have stickers on the furniture or pencil signs on the walls, but it’s okay.” 

“You can always stick new ones in your bedroom.” 

“My mom would kill me,” Eren said, laughing. 

Levi smiled with him and they walked in silence for a while. The moon was out, and the stars were clear in the sky, but the air was rather cold, so Levi snuggled closer to Eren to keep warm. They soon arrived at Eren’s house where there was light coming out from the two windows at the front and movements inside. 

“I wish there wasn’t anyone at home,” Eren admitted. 

“You’ve clung to me all day, I think you can handle a few hours with your family.” 

“It’s not the same,” Eren said, moving closer to Levi. 

He was right, Levi knew it and he felt the same way. He wrapped his arms around Eren’s middle and met his lips halfway in a lingering kiss. While they kissed a confused thought started forming in Levi’s mind that as the kiss continued, became more and more clear and a pit opened in his stomach. 

He pulled away and managed to wish Eren good night in a semi normal tone as his mind was invaded by one single thought. 

_I love you._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please remember that kudos and comments are highly appreciated and keep me going!  
> [ My Tumblr ](https://rachel--exe.tumblr.com/)


	20. Chapter 20

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! This is something I should have said earlier in the fic, but we all know that the schooling system in this story is rather inaccurate and I'm just going to roll with it; I hope no one is reading this fic to know how to apply for college. Now that we've acknowledged that, I hope you enjoy this chapter! :)

It was the middle of the week, and Levi was sat on the floor in the living room, a basketball game on TV and a bunch of sheets of paper on the little table in front of him. It was quite late in the evening, almost night, but he couldn’t sleep, so he had decided to finally fill out his college application. He had printed out everything he needed and even bought an envelope to send everything away. Levi knew it was something that he should have done another time when he was well rested, and his mind wasn’t frolicking with thoughts, but it was the only thing that would have kept his thoughts at bay for at least ten minutes. Ever since Monday, when he had walked home with Eren, his thoughts were all jumbled with one single sentence overpowering everything else.

He loved Eren. 

It wasn’t the normal like he had been feeling for a while, it was something else, something that he had never felt before and that had thrown him off balance. The realisation had hit him right in the face and for days he hadn’t been able to be around Eren with the same ease he always felt. He was afraid of suddenly blurting it out and scare Eren away. He wasn’t sure Eren felt the same way and was afraid of saying those words in case Eren thought he was going too fast. It also didn’t help the fact that he had never felt that way towards anyone else and nobody had ever said those words to him, so he didn’t have anything to compare his situation with. 

It was all very new and confusing to him and he didn’t want to screw things up. He cared for Eren more than he did for anyone else and the fact daunted him. What if Eren didn’t feel the same way and Levi went back to being alone once again? Eren had taught him what it meant to love and trust someone and he didn’t know if he would have been able to go back to his old, lonely life. 

Levi pushed these thoughts to the side and continued to fill in the form while the sounds coming from the TV kept him company. Shinganshina University was his first and only choice, so he was really happy to be studying there, but he still wanted to check the place out sooner or later, see the classrooms, the apartments around campus, and if he was lucky, see the basketball team train. He would have to look up on the website to see if there were specific dates to do a tour or if one could go whenever, but there was no doubt in his mind that he was going there as soon as possible. 

Levi wasn’t even halfway done with his application when a car parked in the front yard. He checked the time on his phone and realised it was way past midnight and sleep was still avoiding him. His uncle soon came into the house and looked at him with a confused frown, but didn’t say anything, only nodded and headed to the kitchen. He came out soon after with a bottle of water and a packet of snacks in his hands and sat on the sofa. 

Levi barely looked at him and continued to do what he was already doing, glancing from time to time to the TV. 

“Are you going to college?” Levi’s uncle asked. 

Levi raised his head, slightly confused by the fact that he had talked to him, but soon replied. 

“Yes.” 

“Do you need money?” Kenny asked, surprising Levi once more. 

“No, I won a scholarship.” 

“You that smart, uh?” 

“It’s a sports scholarship, but yeah,” Levi replied. His grades were pretty good as well. 

“Still playing basketball?” 

“Yes.” 

Kenny nodded and didn’t ask anything else, so Levi went back to his papers. He was bound to have this conversation sooner or later since it was only fair of him to let his uncle know that they wouldn’t be housemates for much longer. 

They remained silent for a while, each lost in their own thoughts, and Levi was almost finished with his task when his uncle spoke again. 

“Are you going to come back once in a while?” he asked. 

“I don’t know, I don’t think so,” Levi honestly replied. He would come back to see Eren, that was sure, but he wasn’t that eager to go visit his uncle. 

“You’ll always have a place if you want to,” Kenny said. 

Levi looked at him, utterly surprised by the words that had come out from his mouth. He would have never expected him to say something like that to him. Sure, Levi was like a ghost when his uncle was around, and they didn’t bother each other much, but he had never expected him to hint that he wanted him to come back . 

“I know I haven’t been much present,” the uncle said when Levi didn’t stop staring. “I never wanted to be a father, but we’re each other’s only family and you’re a good kid, Levi, you remind me of your mother.” 

Levi didn’t know how to reply. He wasn’t expecting all this sentimentality, was his uncle drunk? 

“Where do you go all day?” Levi blurted out when the silence stretched for too long. The question was always on his mind and in that moment, he couldn’t find anything else to say. 

“I work,” Kenny replied. “In a restaurant,” he added when Levi furrowed his brows. 

“What?” Levi said with eyes widening in surprise. 

“I work in a restaurant,” Kenny repeated. “What did you think I do?” 

“Something shadier.” 

Kenny barked a laughter that caught Levi off guard. It was the first time he showed some kind of emotion. 

“Those days were over a long time ago,” his uncle said. “I had a kid to raise.” 

“Alright,” Levi replied, but he still didn’t completely trust him. He couldn’t picture Kenny working in a restaurant, it was a goof explanation to why he was away most of the day, but it didn’t suit him, and Levi was still suspicious. 

Levi focused on his task once again, and Kenny relaxed on the couch, watching the game as well. The talk had successfully pushed Levi’s worries about Eren to the side, but they had just been replaced by his uncle. This had been the first conversation they had had in years, partly because he was away all day, but also because Levi had never tried to talk to him. He had accepted his indifference towards him as he accepted the changes of the weather and didn’t think he wanted to be part of his life. He had never considered how Kenny had felt during the years, he was sure that at the beginning he wasn’t happy about the situation in the slightest and he had admitted it, but perhaps during the years his feelings had changed, and Levi had never bothered asking him. They were both at fault in this situation and now Levi was leaving home in a few months, yet he felt that they were somewhat closer than before, and he began to think that his uncle wasn’t as bad as he thought he was. 

They watched the end of the game together and then Kenny was the first to go to bed, wishing Levi good night and even squeezing his shoulder. Levi stayed downstairs a few more minutes, listening to the players’ interviews while his eyes started to get heavier. He then went to bed as well where sleep finally smiled at him and let him rest for a few hours. 

The following days, Levi mostly focused on training and getting back into shape for the game of the following week. It would have been the first of the new year and Levi was determined to play at least through part of it. He hadn’t played in a game for too long and he needed to be in the court during official games once more. 

Training was also a good excuse to avoid Eren. He still had troubles coming to terms with his feelings, so each time he saw Eren, Levi found it hard to be his usual self and his stomach twisted and turned upside down for the secret was eating him alive. A part of him wanted to tell Eren about it, admit that he loved him and that he couldn’t imagine his life without him anymore, but another part dreaded that moment and reminded him of how hard it would be if Eren rejected him, of how lonely he would be, even more than before now that he had let his guard down and allowed Eren to see him. 

He tried to deal with the situation as best as he could, which meant overworking himself during training and starting to study as soon as he got home, hoping to gather up enough courage to tell Eren. He tried to convince himself that if Eren didn’t feel something similar, he would have already left him, but each time he wanted to bring up the topic, the words got stuck in his throat and he ended up keeping them bottle up inside him. 

These thoughts were still occupying his mind as he made his way to Erwin’s house on Saturday for their movie night to which Eren was coming as well. If he had been alone with his friends, he might have asked them how to confront his feelings since he had heard Erwin saying “I love you” to Armin a couple of times, but he certainly wasn’t going to do it when Eren was there as well. 

There were still no bikes or cars in front of Erwin’s house which meant that Levi was probably the first to arrive. He had dismissed Eren’s offer to go there together and had left the house earlier than necessary because his thoughts were having the best of him and he needed to do something to come out of that dark cloud. 

He took a deep breath before ringing the bell of Erwin’s house and mentally prepared himself for the hours ahead of him. After a few seconds the door opened, and Erwin greeted him with a smile. 

“Hi, Levi, you’re quite early,” he said. 

“Hi,” Levi replied and made his way inside once Erwin stepped aside to let him in. 

“Do you want something to eat or drink while we wait for the others?” Erwin asked, making his way through the house. 

“No, thanks,” Levi retorted, his stomach was turned into a knot and food sounded almost disgusting in that moment. 

They entered the living room where everything was already set for the night with food and drinks on the table and blankets on the two sofas where Levi sat. He played with the hem of his sweater while pondering if it was a good time for the things he wanted to ask. There was still a bit of time before the rest of their friends arrived and Erwin had sort of become his relationship advisor since the time he had asked for his help in the locker room before him and Eren even got together. 

“So, how are you and Armin doing?” Levi said, breaking the silence. 

“Good,” Erwin replied, furrowing his brows, evidently surprised by the question. 

Levi nodded and nibbled his bottom lip, trying to ask Erwin the fatidic question without sounding like a loser. 

“Do you need some advice?” Erwin said. “For the, you know, physical stuff.” 

Levi’s eyes widened as he was caught off guard by Erwin’s comment. Sex was the last of his problems right now, he had a good idea of how it worked, he had looked it up a few times and often fingered himself, so that wasn’t the issue. 

“God, no,” he said. “It’s the emotional stuff I need help with,” he muttered. 

“Oh, okay,” Erwin replied, slightly surprised. “Aren’t things good between you two?” 

“Yes, that’s not the issue, I just don’t know how to tell him… you know,” Levi trailed off. 

“That you love him? 

Hearing it coming from another person made Levi wish the ground opened up and swallowed him whole. He felt so stupid and immature, and uncomfortable on so many different levels that he started to regret ever bringing up the topic. 

“Yes,” he finally said. 

“What’s stopping you?” Erwin asked. 

“I’ve never done it before. What if he says we’re going too fast and that he doesn’t feel the same?” 

“I think he’s been where you are for a long time and is just waiting for you.” 

“How can you tell?” Levi asked. 

“Love shows in the actions,” Erwin replied with a smile. 

Levi didn’t reply but Erwin’s words resounded in his mind. Had he been so blind not to see those actions? Admittedly, he wasn’t an expert when it came to reading people, but he liked to think that he started to understand Eren better each day and to some extent he did, but when it came to things he had never experienced his skills were still like those of a new-born baby. 

He was still unsure about the whole situation and trying to make sense of it when the doorbell rang. Erwin stood up from his spot and Levi listened as he walked to the door, opened it and greeted two familiar voices. Soon after he came back into the living room followed by Armin and Eren. 

As soon as he saw him, Eren smiled at Levi, causing Levi’s heart to flutter and his face to flame up. Levi had hoped he was past the point of flushing like an idiot when he saw Eren, but the last developments in his feelings had the opposite effect. 

“Hi,” Eren said, sitting next to him. 

“Hi,” Levi greeted him, mouth unconsciously turning upwards. 

Eren placed a small kiss on his cheek. “Did you have a nice day today?” he asked. 

“It was okay,” Levi shrugged. “Yours?” 

“Full of boxes.” 

“Still?” Levi asked surprised. He didn’t know changing houses was so tedious. 

“They were the last ones,” Eren explained. “We’ve left only the boxes with our summer clothes that we obviously don’t need now.” 

“That’s good.” 

“It really is,” Eren smiled. 

The doorbell rang again, and Erwin left the room to get the door one last time to let Hange in. They soon entered the living room, sporting their usual pony tail and their general craziness. 

“Hello gang!” they greeted the group. “Ready for some movies?” 

“Do gangs watch _High School Musical_?” Eren asked. 

“Ours does,” Hange replied. 

Eren looked at Levi with brows furrowed in confusion, but Levi just shook his head. He was too used to Hange’s weird comments to be surprised by anything. 

Hange didn’t waste any time and in a few minutes the movie was playing on TV. They sat next to Levi and Eren while Armin and Erwin occupied the other sofa, all five of them cocooned in a blanket and with snacks at the ready. 

The movie was enjoyable, and the songs were still annoyingly catchy, but Levi didn’t pay much attention to it, instead he focused on the hand Eren had placed on his hip. From time to time he rubbed the T-shirt under Levi’s sweater and he occasionally squeezed his hip, smiling when he caught Levi looking at him. Levi tried to shut down all thoughts and enjoy the movie and Eren’s warm presence beside him, but it proved to be harder than he anticipated. Still, he managed to catch most of what was happening on the screen and was glad when it ended because it meant he was a few hours closer to going home and freely overthink. 

He followed the last movie a bit more, mostly thanks to Hange’s sobs that distracted him from Eren. The whole plot focused on the future of the protagonists and their fears and hopes for their college life which was something Hange was sensitive about. Levi guessed they were as scared and full of doubts as him about their life after high school, so he couldn’t make much fun of them. He had thought multiple times about how life would be in a new environment without people he knew and trusted, but he wanted to enjoy these last months of high school as much as he could, trying to sedate his worries. 

When the movie ended, Hange was openly crying and tears were streaming down their face, no sobs or loud whines, just silent tears watering their cheeks. They quickly wiped their face and by the time the lights were switched on again, the only sign of emotion was the redness of their eyes and the little sniffs of their nose. 

“I think I’m ready to move on from musicals now,” they said. “I think I’ll try teen dramas from the 2000 now.” 

“Did _High School Musical_ peak in the genre?” Erwin asked. 

“Yes, it hits closer to home,” Hange explained. 

“I hope you won’t cry ever time we watch a movie now,” Levi said. 

“Just because you don’t let your feelings show doesn’t mean I have to the same.” 

Levi was taken aback by the comment for a moment, but his face went back to being a blank space in a matter of seconds. 

They spent the rest of the evening chatting and playing board games, until everyone was dead tired and decided to go home. Armin was staying over at Erwin’s and Hange had come by car, so Levi went home with Eren alone who had come by bike. 

The walked side by side mostly in silence, only the sound of the wheels of Eren’s bike on the road in the resounding in the night. It was the perfect time for Levi to tell Eren how he felt, and he tried to say those words many times, but in the end, he always bit his lips, thinking and thinking until they had almost reached his house. 

Eren had thrown glances at him the whole way home and now that they were about to part, he finally spoke. 

“Is everything alright?” he said. 

“Yes,” Levi immediately replied. 

“Are you sure? You were more quiet than usual this evening.” 

“Everything’s fine,” Levi lied. 

“Okay,” Eren said as they stopped in front of Levi’s house. 

Kenny’s car was already parked in the yard and Levi had never been so grateful for it; the last thing he wanted in that moment was to be alone with Eren. 

“See you at school,” he said, ready to go inside. 

“Good night,” Eren smiled. 

“Good night.” 

Levi placed a freezing hand on Eren’s cheek and kissed him, closing his eyes and bathing in the moment. The kiss only made his feelings more ardent and his doubts more painful, but he wasn’t ready yet, so he just rubbed Eren’s cheek and let him go, his smile and the warmth of his kiss still on his lips. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is always appreciated, feel free to tell me if there are some things you don't like or want to see in future chapters. If you don't feel comfortable leaving comments here you can always do it anonymously on [ Tumblr ](https://rachel--exe.tumblr.com/) :)


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! This is the last time I'll update weekly, the rest of the chapters will come out irregularly.

The days went by and Levi grew more and more impatient and distressed, waiting for the perfect moment to tell Eren how he felt. There always seemed to be something to prevent him from doing so, whether it was his friends or his own doubts, it never seemed the right moment to confess. So what he did instead was to focus his attention on something else. He had sent his college application and was planning on visiting Shinganshina University the week after when there was a guided tour for future freshmen; the following Friday would also be a holiday for his town, so school was closed, and he could spend the whole day exploring his future college.

This Friday, though, the basketball league started again, and Levi was determined to be in the game. He trained every day and each time his body was closer to be how it was before the injury. He had talked to the coach and had almost convinced him to let him enter the court at least for part of the periods. 

Another thing that was distracting Levi from his relationship was Hange’s love life. He knew the moment they realised Moblit had a thing for them was near and he didn’t have to wait for too long. It was during lunch break when Hange finally admitted it. 

“I think you were right, guys,” they said while they were all eating together. 

“About what?” Erwin asked. 

“About Moblit,” Hange replied. “He sticks to me too much and he stutters a lot when he talks to me.” 

“And that’s enough for you to know someone likes you?” Levi asked, raising an eyebrow. 

“Yes, I’m not that dense.” 

“Is he the guy that was at your party?” Armin questioned. 

Hange nodded and picked at their still intact sandwich. 

“And you don’t like him?” Armin continued. 

“That’s not the issue,” Hange said. “I’ve never thought about it before, so I can’t fully say if I like him or not, I mean we have some things in common and he’s always nice to me, but I don’t know how he’ll reach when I tell him I’m asexual.” 

“It’s better to tell him sooner than later,” Erwin said. “If you find out you like him and want to be in a relationship with him, it’s bound to come up at some point.” 

“Yes, you can’t keep secrets forever,” Eren said. 

Levi almost choked on his water at the comment as it concerned him more than Eren knew and his stomach twisted at the idea of Eren feeling betrayed by him. Erwin looked at him with a knowing expression as if to say that it applied to him as well, but Levi quickly averted his eyes. 

From that day on, Hange didn’t mention anything about Moblit again but Levi could see them often spacing out with a pensive look, trying to decide what to do. 

When the day of the game arrived, Levi started from the bench. It was just a precaution, the coach said, and he would enter the court later on in the game so that his ankle wouldn’t be overworked. Levi had a different option and wanted to be in the game from the start, but the coach was immovable on the matter, so Levi had to comply and sit on the side. He restlessly watched as his teammates entered the court, taking their own positions and getting ready for the evening. He was sat on the hedge of the bench, a leg impatiently shaking as the game started. In his place there was one of the new members of the team, Floch, who wasn’t that bad and had decent control of the ball but was still a bit intimidated by his seniors, so his decisions weren’t as firm as Levi’s. 

The referee blew his whistle and the two players in the middle flew in the air to catch the ball. Mike jumped a second later than his opponent who got the ball and passed it to one of his teammates. The player swiftly ran to the hoop, followed by his teammates and strictly marked by Erd who tried to steal the ball at every bounce. The opponent had to stop in his tracks as the way forward was blocked, so he turned around and passed the ball to the other side on the court where Floch was having a hard time marking a player. 

Levi cursed under his breath when the opponents started to run again, always closer to the goal. The first point was always fundamental for the team’s self-esteem and it was the part of the game where Levi needed his team to score. This wasn’t the case, though, as after a few other passages, the opponents sent the ball inside the hoop and changed the result in their favour. 

After that action, Levi was all the more eager to enter the court and help his team win. He had to remind himself that they had managed to win almost all the games when he was injured but now that he had healed and was in good shape once again, he felt the need to be there, to physically do something to change the game for the better. Yet, all he could do was watch and curse. 

The home team soon recuperated the point and the balance of the game was re-established. The first period of the match was a tight game and at the end of it there was only one point of distance between the two teams, with Levi’s team losing. 

During the break between the first and the second period, Levi warmed up for it was his time to enter the court. When the game started again, Levi stepped into the court and felt a rush of adrenaline run through him and it was like coming home for him. The cries of the audience, the shriek of shoes on the wooden floor and the euphoria of playing again were familiar and excited him. He smirked to himself, more than to anyone else. He was ready. 

The second period started and directing his team came natural to Levi, so much so that in no time they were underneath the opponents’ basket. Levi was flying along the court, avoiding players and passing the ball to his teammates like he never stopped. He had missed all of this and he never wanted to stop again. He passed the ball inside the three-point art where Gunther was being marked by two players, but he circled around them and caught the ball, slamming it into the hoop and matching the scores. 

Feeling the pats of his teammates on his shoulders and hearing the cheers from the stands filled Levi with new determination and voided his mind of all other worries. He ran through the court, closely marking a player from the other team while trying to snatch the ball from him. The guy wasn’t particularly fast or agile but had a sturdy figure and broad back, making it harder for Levi to steal the ball while he was behind him. 

The ball crossed the court and ended on the other side where there was another player ready to take it and defend his position. Erd was right behind him, doing his best to stop him, but he got fooled by a mock play and lost the player who ran towards the basket. There, he was met by one of his teammates and perfectly tossed him the ball. With a high jump the opponent under the basket reached the ball and slammed it in the hoop, Gunther just a few inches away from him. 

Levi played through more than half of the second period when the coach called him back out and substituted him with Floch again. Levi didn’t feel exhausted or tired in any way, so he was disappointed when he had to leave the court, but he left anyway, hoping to be able to go back in at a later time. 

Once he was seated, he looked at the people in the stands and his eyes fell on his friends, watching the game intently. Eren was there as well and Levi’s thoughts jumbled up when he remembered the secret he was keeping. It was really silly and immature of him to keep hiding that way, so he resolved that at the end of the game he would tell Eren. Playing basketball had cleared his mind and was now more confident and saw everything in a new light that made all his worries withdraw in the corners of his mind. 

Levi stayed on the bench until the middle of the third period and watched how his team responded shot after shot to their opponents. It was a tight game which made Levi all the more eager to play. He loved when the opponents were as good as them as it gave him a chance to challenge himself and improve his moves. It was also the kind of game that would keep everyone’s eyes glued to the court because even one single play could change the end result. 

When Levi substituted one of his teammates the scores were tight, and the spirits were still high, both teams determined to win and start the second leg of the league with a victory. Levi took his usual position and examined the situation, assessing which moves were best and where. For now, the ball was at the other side of the court, so Levi tried to keep himself as free from opponents as he could, running towards the basket, ready to get the ball at any time. 

Oluo dribbled past his marker and bounced the ball to Erd who was closer to the three-point arc. Levi followed up, running along with Erd for back up. There were two players from the other team in front of them, guarding the basket and when they approached them, they tried to stop them by blocking the way forward. Erd passed the ball to Levi who gave it to Mike to the other side of the basket where there was a free spot. He took advantage of that and he shot from inside the three-point arc. The ball rolled around the edge of the hoop but then fell inside it and the home team took the lead again. 

Levi smiled to himself for the points gained and nodded to Mike a sign of approval, but didn’t have time to do anything more than that as the opponents had already took possession of the ball and were trying to score as well. Levi focused back on the game and speedily marked the player in front of him, preventing him from getting the ball. The other players passed the ball among them, bouncing it up to the basket where they made the mistake of tossing it to the boy Levi was marking. It was a weak and a half-assed pass, so it was a joke for Levi to steal it and stop their action. 

He immediately turned on his heels and ran in the direction he had come from, his teammates following him on other parts of the court to cover as much territory as possible. Levi faked a pass to the right and fooled the player that had come to mark him, passing the ball to the left instead. Oluo took it and made his way to the destination, dribbling past another player and passing the ball back to Levi. The two of them were the ones ahead with their other three teammates following behind, searching for possible openings into their opponents’ defence. 

Levi was getting closer to the end of the court when a player from the other team pulled his sweater, committing a foul and giving Levi’s team two free throws. For a moment Levi had a flash back of what had happened months before but luckily it was a simple pull and he eased back into play. The free shots were thrown by Erd who easily scored both of them, securing the score even more. 

After that foul Levi was pulled out of the court and he had to admit he was quite glad of it; he was still worried about getting injured again and needed a bit of time to recover from his fears. As he rested, his eyes glanced at the stands and noticed Eren looking at him with a worried expression, the same fear evidently going through his mind. Levi smiled at him, even if he wasn’t sure Eren would be able to see him from such a distance but Eren’s face softened and his lips curved into a smile as well, calming Levi’s nerves even more. 

The next and last time Levi entered the court was towards the end of the fourth period when the score was in his team’s favour by a sufficient number of points to make them feel like the game was won. They mainly focused on keeping the score as it was, defending their basket with everything they had and scoring when they had the opportunity. There weren’t many exciting plays and when the referee finally signalled the end of the game everyone was relieved. It had been a good game and the other team had been a valid opponent, but Levi’s team had been just a little bit better than them and that little bit was all they needed to win once again. 

The gym cheered for the home team and the coach congratulated his team for the victory, shaking each player’s shoulder to show how proud he was. Levi was proud of his teammates as well. He had missed this so much, going through all the hardship of a game together, that he would have played another one right after. 

He went back to the lockers, exchanging opinions on the game with his teammates and congratulating them for their improved game, making light jokes and chatting together until they were all changed and left the gym, saying goodbye once they were outside. 

In front of the school gate, his friends were waiting for him and, buried in his scarf to protect himself from the cold, Levi joined them. 

“Levi!” Hange shouted as he approached them. “You were great today; those moves were from another planet.” 

“You’re exaggerating,” Levi said but he could help the smile that appeared on his lips. 

“They were, you were flying on the court.” 

“They’re right,” Erwin agreed. “Did your ankle hurt?” 

“Not really, it’s a bit uncomfortable now but nothing to worry about.” 

“I thought you were going to get injured again when that player pulled your sweater,” Hange said, giving voice to everyone’s thoughts. 

“Yeah, me too,” Levi admitted. 

Eren wrapped his arms around Levi’s waist, holding Levi closer to him reassuringly and Levi relaxed in his embrace. 

“Do you guys want to come over and hang out a bit?” Hange asked. 

“I’m a bit tired, I’d rather go home,” Levi said. Now that the game had ended, all the adrenaline was vanishing, tiredness and sore taking its place. 

“I promised my mom I’d get home early,” Eren said, apologetically. 

“We’re going home too,” Erwin said, indicating Armin. 

“Alright, see you next week then,” Hange said a bit disappointed. 

They all said good bye and then went home. Eren went with Levi as per usual and they walked hand in hand for a while. Levi remembered what he had told himself earlier, but now that the adrenaline rush was over it still didn’t seem like the right time, so he resolved to wait a bit more; he didn’t want to be dead tired and still slightly sweaty when he told Eren he loved him. 

“You played really well, you know?” Eren said. “Like when I first saw you.” 

“I hope I’ve improved a bit since then,” Levi joked. 

“You have,” Eren smiled. “You even won a scholarship for that.” 

“I can’t believe it,” Levi said. Sometimes it still felt a bit surreal to him. “I was thinking about going to Shinganshina next week to visit the college, there’s a guided tour for future freshmen.” 

“That’s a good idea.” 

“Do you want to come with me?” Levi asked. 

“You want me to come?” Eren asked, pleasantly surprised. “Of course I want to go with you.” 

“Thanks,” Levi replied. “You can even stay over, if you want, in case we come back home late,” he added hesitantly. 

“I’ll talk to my mom but yeah, I’d love to.” 

“Okay.” 

Levi moved closer to Eren, his hand tracing circles on Eren’s and his stomach twisting into a knot. 

“Do you seriously have to go home?” he asked as they reached his neighbourhood. 

“Yes, Mikasa’s on a date and I have to wait for her because we only have one pair of keys right now.” 

“On a date with who?” Levi asked surprised. 

“With Jean,” Eren replied sounding almost disgusted. 

“What? I never thought she liked him.” 

“Me neither but they started hanging out after the Christmas party and now Jean’s always at my house.” 

“And you’re always at mine so you don’t see him that much,” Levi said with a grin. 

“That’s true,” Eren laughed. 

Meanwhile, they had arrived at Levi’s house; no lights were coming out from the windows and there was no car in the driveway. 

“I’ll see you tomorrow at your game then,” Levi said. 

“Yes, and please wear the T-shirt I gave you,” Eren said with begging eyes. 

“Alright,” Levi complied. It wasn’t the right weather to wear a T-shirt outside, but he’d come up with something. 

Eren smiled and cupped his face with his hands, caressing his cheeks before kissing him. Levi kissed him back, a warmth filling him from the inside and he felt those words on the tip of his tongue. They were there, ready to leave and reach Eren, but when their lips parted Levi hesitated. He opened his mouth to say them, but no words came out, so he closed it again and smiled at Eren as he walked away. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, feedback is highly appreciated and keeps this fic alive. Feel free to tell me if there are things you don't like or you're not enjoying the story anymore.  
> [ My Tumblr ](https://rachel--exe.tumblr.com/)


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Merry Christmas and happy holidays, everyone! Here's a little present for me that hopefully you'll all enjoy :) This chapter was supposed to be much longer but I've decided to cut it into two, so the next one will start right where this one ends.  
> I want to take a moment to thank again everyone that commented on the last chapter, it really means the world to me to know that some of you are still reading and enjoying this fic. I've been struggling a bit lately with this story but your comments are what keeps me going and I truly appreciate your feedback <3

The day Levi had been waiting for finally had arrived and on Friday, he woke up earlier than usual to visit Shinganshina University. He quickly got ready, showering and changing into a pair of black jeans, grey sweater and comfortable shoes in the blink of an eye. He got his backpack ready with some snacks and a bottle of water in it as well and then headed downstairs to wait for Eren.

They had agreed to meet at Levi’s house and go to he train station together; the only problem was that Eren’s mom had insisted on taking them there because she wanted to get to know Levi and basically see who his son was dating. Levi rubbed the wet palms of his hands at the thought and his heart beat faster for the anxiety. Eren had told him that his mom was pretty kind and loving but Levi still felt like he was going to a law court to be judged. 

He had to wait for only a few minutes before hearing a car park in front of his house. He stood up and went outside, closing the front door and taking a deep breath before going towards the vehicle. Eren sat next to the driver so Levi climbed in the backseat, glancing at Eren’s mom as he did so. She had brown hair and warm brown eyes. He was kindly smiling at him and Levi immediately understood from whom Eren had taken his own smile. 

“Hi, Levi,” Eren said, turning to look at him as well. “This is my mom, mom this is Levi.” 

“It’s nice to finally meet you, Levi, you can call me Carla,” Eren’s mom said with a bright smile. 

“It’s nice to meet you too,” Levi replied. 

“Exciting day today, right?” Carla said still turned towards Levi. 

“Yes, very exciting,” Levi retorted. 

“Eren told me you’re going to Shinganshina University next year.” 

“Yes, to study journalism.” 

“That’s nice,” Carla smiled. “What kind of journalist would you like to become?” 

“A sports caster,” Levi replied, glancing at Eren for help. 

“Alright, mom, that’s enough,” Eren said. “Now that the awkward presentations are done, I think we can go.” 

“I just want to get to Levi a bit more,” Carla laughed and started the car, getting into the empty road and driving away. 

The drive to the train station proved to be another set of questions with Carla wanting to know all about Levi, his family, his hobbies, she would have even asked him how tall he was and the number of his shoes if Eren hadn’t interrupted her when they were almost at the train station. 

The situation was worse than any tests Levi had ever taken, but he didn’t fault Carla for wanting to know more about her son’s boyfriend and all in all, she seemed a kind person. Still, Levi was relieved once they finally arrived at their destination, and after Carla had parked in front of the train station, he and Eren got out of the car. 

“Be safe, boys,” she said, smiling at them through the window. 

“Yes, mom,” Eren replied, rolling his eyes. 

“Have a nice day,” Carla said. 

“Thank you, good bye,” Levi retorted with a polite smile. 

“Bye,” Eren waved at his mom as she drove away. 

“Your mom is really nice,” Levi said once they were alone. 

“Yeah but trust me she can be very scary when she wants to,” Eren said. 

“I hope I’ll never piss her off then,” Levi joked. 

“She must have liked you,” Eren reassured him. “She told me that if you looked even remotely suspicious she would have driven me back home.” 

“I put on my best act.” 

“You don’t have to, you’re always a sweetheart,” Eren grinned. 

Levi pushed his shoulder while his heart pounded in his chest. “Shut up,” he murmured and made his way inside the station. 

Eren chuckled behind him and followed him suit, holding his hand as they walked. They got to their platform a few minutes before the train was supposed to arrive and they waited standing next to each other. It was a nice day with the sun making an appearance in the sky but still cold, and Levi’s hands were freezing even through the gloves. There weren’t many people on their platform, or at the train station in general, and Levi and Eren waited for the train surrounded by silence. 

Their ride arrived on time and they got on, searching for their seats and sitting down, getting comfortable for the two-hour journey. 

“So, what’s the plan for today?” Eren asked once they were settled down. 

“In the morning we have the guided tour, then lunch and hopefully, we manage to sneak into the basketball training for a bit in the afternoon,” Levi said. 

“Sounds good,” Eren nodded. “Do you already know how to get to the university?” 

“Yeah, I checked on google maps so maybe we won’t get lost.” 

“I wouldn’t mind getting lost with you,” Eren smiled. 

“Why are you so cheesy today?” Levi asked with a faint blush. 

“I’m just really happy I get to spend the entire day with you,” Eren said, lacing their fingers together. 

“You better behave yourself or you’ll sleep on the couch tonight.” 

Eren chuckled. “I’ll just hang out with your uncle then.” 

“He’d probably like that, he’s in a talkative mood lately.” 

“Really?” Eren asked surprised. “Did you guys talk?” 

“Yeah,” Levi shrugged. “It was all college related, but he told me I’ll always have a place to come back if I want to.” 

“Seriously? That’s amazing.” 

“I think it’s the first proper conversation we’ve ever had.” 

“Did you talk again after that time?” Eren asked. 

“No, he’s still at work most of the time,” Levi replied. “He told me he works in a restaurant, but I don’t know if I should believe him.” 

“Why don’t you go visit his restaurant?” 

“He didn’t tell me the name and I didn’t ask, in fact I don’t even know where the restaurant is.” 

“Make sure to find out so I can take you on a date there,” Eren smiled. 

“No, thanks, I’d like to avoid awkward conversations for a while now.” 

Eren chuckled and Levi smiled back at him, heart fluttering as he did so. He leaned into Eren’s seat and kissed his lips for the first time that day. Eren squeezed his hand and brought the other one up to his nape, grazing Levi’s undercut. A warmth spread in Levi’s chest, filling his stomach of a sweet and unsettling sensation that he recognised as love. 

When the kiss broke, Levi bit his lip, still tasting Eren on his mouth, and a swarm of butterflies in his stomach. Eren planted another kiss on his cheek and then they sunk into their seats, Levi’s head on Eren’s shoulder and their fingers still laced. The long journey was spent chatting, eating and playing card games until they reached their destination. Levi couldn’t feel his legs anymore and was relieved when they finally got off the train and he could use again. Eren wasn’t doing much better as his long legs had been crammed in the small space between the seats for the whole journey and he was now stretching his muscles as well. 

“Where to, captain?” Eren said, looking at Levi when they left the station. 

Levi checked his map. “This way,” he said, turning right. 

They slowly walked the streets of the city, admiring the scenery and stopping from time to time to take some pictures. Levi was looking at everything with hungry eyes; he didn’t get to travel much so every time he did, he always took in as much of the scenery as he could. The university was right in the middle of the city, its big and old building contrasting with the modern structures around it. There were students of all ages going in and out, and Levi couldn’t help but think about the time when he’d be one of them. 

Eren and Levi made their way inside the university and immediately spotted the little desk where they were supposed to meet with the other students for the visit. There were only two other people, but they were soon welcomed by a girl with glasses and a kind smile. 

“Hi, are you here for the tour?” she asked. 

“Yes,” Levi replied. 

“Welcome, I’m Rico and I’ll be your guide today.” 

“I’m Levi.” 

“And I’m Eren,” Eren greeted her with a smile. 

“Nice to meet you, guys,” Rico said. “We’re just waiting for the rest of the people to arrive and then we’ll start.” 

They had to wait for another good ten minutes before everyone arrived, but then Rico immediately started the tour, guiding them through the intricate passages of the building with its many corridors and secret rooms that were actually professor offices. Levi had already lost all sense of direction after the first corridor and was wondering how he’d be able to remember all of this. 

Rico even took them inside one of the classrooms while there was a lecture and everyone from the group looked at the students and professor with dreamy eyes. Levi had never thought that going to college was one of his dreams and only until recently he had never considered continuing to study after high school, but now that he was there and could see and listen and experience what college life meant, he was starting to get more excited about his future and the fact that he had won a scholarship for a place like that still blew his mind. 

After the lecture, they moved to the various labs that were mostly empty and to the libraries where people could study in a quiet and comfortable environment. Every time a lecture ended, the hallways swarmed with students going in all directions, chatting with each other or rushing to another class, and Levi almost lost Eren three times for the corridors were too small to contain such an amount of people. 

The tour ended sooner than Levi had expected and the hours they had spent going around the university seemed to have gone by in just a few minutes. They had seen everything of major importance just to give them a basic idea of what their future college life would be like and Levi wasn’t disappointed. Eren had been looking at everything Rico showed them with curious eyes that matched Levi’s and often showed Levi things that stood out to him with the same interest and curiosity as if he was the one to be studying there in just a few months. Levi was glad he was enjoying himself instead of being bored by things that didn’t concern him and he often showed his appreciation with small smiles or squeezing his hand when no one was looking. 

“This is the end of our tour, guys,” Rico said when it was almost two in the afternoon “Feel free to wander around as much as you like, just make sure not to disturb anyone and if you have any questions you can find me in the library.” 

The group soon dispersed and Levi and Eren were alone again. 

“So?” Eren asked as they made their way outside. 

“It’s nice, I like it,” Levi replied. 

“Just nice?” Eren teased. “Your eyes were sparkling during the whole visit.” 

Levi rolled his eyes. “It was really good, okay? The building looks like it’s about to fall down from the outside, but the inside is really cool, and the lecture wasn’t half bad even if I couldn’t understand anything of what the professor was saying.” 

“I knew you loved it,” Eren smiled. 

“Thank you for coming with me,” Levi said, looking at Eren. 

“Of course,” Eren replied, hugging him as they were walking. “Are we going to have lunch now? I’m starving.” 

“Definitely, I’m starving as well.” 

They found a little café just outside the university and headed inside for some much-needed food. The place was quite artsy with reproductions of famous paintings on the walls and even small marble statues in the corners, but surprisingly it wasn’t expensive at all. They got a burger each along with tea and water and ate until they were full. 

“Basketball now?” Eren asked after they paid for their lunch. 

“Yes,” Levi said with a sparkle in his eyes. This was the moment he had been looking for the entire day, more than the tour they had in the morning. 

They went back to the university, looking around until they found the gym in a building separate from the main one. The sound of balls hitting the ground and the squeak of shoes on a wooden floor reached their ears before they could see the players inside. Even if it was a cold day, the doors were open, and Levi peaked inside to assess the situation. He immediately spotted Mr. Dok giving instructions to his players that were practicing some shots. There were other people on the stands, apparently looking at the training and Levi was about to sneak inside when Mr. Dok turned his head and spotted him. 

“Levi,” he called him surprised. “I didn’t know you were coming today, come here.” 

All eyes fell on Levi and Eren while they made their way towards the man. 

“How are you, Levi?” he said as the two stopped next to him. “Are you here to visit the college?” 

“I am,” Levi replied. 

“And you also came to see your future team, uh?” Mr. Dok smiled. 

“While I’m here,” Levi explained. 

“I’m glad you came and I’m also glad to see your ankle has healed.” 

“It has but I’m still taking it slow,” Levi said, glancing at his ankle. 

“That’s wise of you,” Mr. Dok said. “Well, feel free to stay as much as you like, we’ll be here all afternoon.” 

“Thank you,” Levi replied and then went to the stands with Eren following behind him. 

After they sat, Levi watched with sparkling eyes the training, how the players worked so well and complimented each other, how their moves were so smooth and flawless that seemed almost effortless. He stared and stared, following the ball from one side of the court to the other, listening to the advice Mr. Dok gave to the players and just thinking he was in paradise. 

“Are you enjoying yourself?” Eren asked, bringing Levi back to earth. 

“Yes,” Levi replied with his mouth curving into a smile. “Are you?” 

“I always enjoy myself when I’m with you,” Eren grinned. 

Levi rolled his eyes. “Stop it,” he said. “We’re leaving soon anyway,” he added, checking the time on his phone. 

The players soon formed two groups and played a little match among them. Levi took notice of their moves, trying to remember the ones he liked the most, hoping to introduce them in his own game play. It was easy to see that all players worked well with each other and barely any words were shared as they trained. Levi wondered how it would be to play with them and hoped he’d be able to fit in the team. Their game play was a level above his, but he was determined to improve together with his current team and also with his future one to become a better player. 

When the first match ended, Levi checked his phone and noticed it was time for them to go otherwise they would have missed the train. 

“It’s time to go,” he told Eren. 

Eren gathered his things and then they both left the stands, heading for the door. Mr. Dok saw them leaving and lifted a hand as goodbye. Levi did the same and glancing one last time at the players on the court, he left the gym, aware that the next time he’d be there he would be wearing the university uniform. 

“Which way was the train station?” Eren asked as they left. 

Levi checked the map on his phone. “This way,” he said. 

The sun was now setting, and people were going home after a workday, hurrying past them. Levi and Eren were in no rush, they had plenty of time to get to the train station, so they took their time, admiring the monuments once again and printing the view into their memory. 

Levi reached for Eren’s hand, lacing their fingers together and gently squeezing them. Eren smiled at him the same genuine smile that always made Levi’s heart flutter and this time was no exception. Now that the day had ended, Levi knew he wouldn’t have wanted to share this experience with anyone but him; Eren had been supportive and interested all day, there had never been a time where he had looked bored or annoyed and Levi couldn’t be more grateful for that. 

They walked in silence, the hands laced together speaking for them, until they reached the train station where after a few minutes of wait, they caught their train. Levi had barely got comfortable in his seat that a heavy tiredness fell on him, his eyes were closing by themselves and his feet were sore. Eren didn’t look more awake than he did and as he laid his head on Eren’s shoulders, Levi hoped they wouldn’t miss their stop. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sure you can guess what'll happen in the next chapter when Eren is spending the night at Levi's ;)  
> Kudos and comments are highly appreciated :)  
> [ My Tumblr ](https://rachel--exe.tumblr.com/)


	23. Chapter 23

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy new year, everyone!   
> I'm really excited to finally share this chapter with you, it took a bit more editing than usual but I'm pretty happy with it and I hope you enjoy it too :)

When Levi opened his eyes, the lights of the train were on and the only remnant of the sun was an orange line on the horizon. He was confused at first as to where he was and why he was, but he quickly remembered and almost panicked thinking they had missed their stop. He recognised the landscape outside the window and with a sigh of relief he realised they hadn’t. His movements had woken Eren up as well and he was now stretching beside him, his hair fallen out of his bun and sticking to a side of his face.

“We’re almost there,” Levi informed him. 

“Good,” Eren replied with a yawn. “I’m starving, what are we eating tonight?” 

“I don’t know, what do you want?” 

“I would honestly eat anything right now.” 

Levi smiled. “Okay, we’ll grab something on the way home.” 

“Sounds good,” Eren replied and hugged Levi, bringing him almost completely to his seat and squeezing him tight. 

“I can’t breathe,” Levi protested with his face buried in Eren’s chest. 

Eren let him go but caught his lips in a quick kiss that made his heart skip a beat and his cheeks darken. 

Their stop wasn’t much further away, and they were soon gathering their backpacks, putting on their coats and preparing to get off. A few other people got off with them and some got in, but the rest of the station was silent. They had to walk home since there was no one to pick them up. Their feet were still sore, and the evening was chilly, a light but cold breeze caressing their cheeks coats. They put on gloves and scarves before starting the way home, stopping to a pizzeria to grab some food for dinner and reaching Levi’s house half an hour later. 

There was no car parked outside; Levi knew his uncle wasn’t going to come back home for a few more hours as it was only a bit past eight even if it felt like he had been out for an entire week. They dropped their bags and hung their coats before getting everything ready in the living room, grabbing plates and glasses from the kitchen and putting them on the little table. The set up reminded Levi of their first day together and he couldn’t help but smile at the fond memory. Eren was probably having the same thoughts as he tenderly smiled as well. 

They sat on each side of the table and dived into their food, starved by the long walk and the hard day. 

“Did you enjoy today?” Eren asked as they ate. 

“I did,” Levi replied. “I’m excited to be there next year.” 

“The basketball team seems really good.” 

“It is, everyone has amazing skills.” 

“You do too,” Eren replied. “They’re lucky they’ll have you and the coach seems nice.” 

“I hope I’ll fit in,” Levi said with a tone of insecurity in his voice. 

“You will,” Eren smiled. 

Levi smiled back but didn’t give voice to the rest of his worries. He was tired which meant he wasn’t in a talkative mood and all he wanted to do was to curl up on the sofa with Eren, simply enjoying the comfort of his presence. 

They wolfed down their food and then cleaned up the living room before settling on the sofa. Eren held Levi in his arms while the other boy rested his head on his chest as they watched a movie on the TV. 

“I really want to shower but I’m too tired,” Levi said, feeling his eyes close by themselves. 

“I could join you to keep you awake,” Eren smirked. 

“You’d join even without asking.” 

“You didn’t seem too against it that time,” Eren grinned. 

Levi turned his head to glare at him, but he knew Eren was right, he definitely wasn’t against the idea of showering with him. 

He brought his face closer to Eren’s and kissed him, encircling his neck with his arms and running a hand through his hair. Eren wrapped his arms around his waist and eagerly kissed him back, which made sparkles light in Levi’s stomach. As they kissed a need for more surged inside Levi and he couldn’t get enough of Eren, his hands were touching everywhere, and his lips were kissing harder while his heart pounded in his chest and the tide with his feelings began to rise. 

Eren’s hands had travelled further down and were now resting on Levi’s ass, squeezing it and using it to bring Levi on his lap. Levi placed his legs on either side of Eren’s waist, his erection already half hard and his tongue darting out to lick Eren’s bottom lip. Eren opened his mouth to let him in and the same need from before urged Levi to taste and explore with the hunger of a starving man. Eren bucked his hips forwards and his forming erection rubbed against Levi’s, eliciting a moan from him. 

It took all the willpower he had for Levi to pull away from Eren and stop what they were doing. He felt lightheaded, and his thoughts were starting to get all jumbled up, but he knew that if they started they wouldn’t have been able to stop, and he certainly didn’t want to get caught by his uncle. 

“We’re not going to do this on the sofa,” he said. “We’re going to my bedroom.” 

Eren nodded, his chest heaving faster than normal, and Levi stood up. He haphazardly threw the blanket on the sofa and was already sprinting to the stairs when Levi stopped him again. 

“We have to shower first though,” he said. 

Eren’s eyes sparkled but Levi quickly dampened his mood. 

“Alone,” he said. 

“C’mon, Levi,” Eren complained. 

“If we go together we won’t wash ourselves and I’m not going to suck your sweaty cock.” 

Eren’s breath hitched in his throat and in the blink of an eye he was upstairs. “I’m going first,” he yelled from the second floor. 

Levi laughed under his breath and followed him in his room where Eren had put the backpack with his things. When he arrived, the boy was rummaging through it, taking out some clean clothes and placing them on the bed. 

“I’ll be quick,” Eren said, standing up. “Don’t have fun without me,” he added with a wink. 

“Idiot,” Levi replied, smacking his arm with a smile on his lips. 

Eren left and the sound of the shower soon reached Levi’s bedroom. Levi sat on the bed, trying to collect his thoughts. He couldn’t hold back anymore, all the feelings he had kept inside of him were starting to overflow and he was aware he couldn’t keep them inside any longer. His whole body trembled at the idea and his stomach turned into an uncomfortable knot that made him almost feel sick. His palms started to sweat, and he couldn’t stay still anymore, so he paced in his room, gathering his own clean clothes and brushing imaginary dust from the furniture. He also checked his bedside table for the objects he had bought a few days before and they were there, unopened and asking him to be used. 

By the time Eren got out of the shower, Levi was a bundle of nerves and immediately closed himself in the bathroom without sparing Eren a glance. Once there he took deep breaths and turned on the water, hoping to calm down with a hot shower. To some degree it helped, and his muscles were less tense but the knot in his stomach was still there. Once he finished he took his time with drying off and then after another deep breath, he went back to his room. 

Eren was lying on the bed, eyes closed and chest heaving evenly, but when he heard Levi’s steps he opened his eyes and smiled at him. He propped himself up on one elbow and stretched his other arm to grab Levi’s hand. Levi joined him on the bed, resting on the side as well since his small bed didn’t allow for much more and they silently looked at each other. 

Eren smiled, and caressed Levi’s heated cheek, fixing the hair that had fallen on his forehead. 

“Do you ever wonder what will happen to us when you go to college next year?” he asked. 

Levi nodded. 

“I’m really going to miss you,” Eren whispered. 

“I’ll miss you too,” Levi replied, taking Eren’s hand in his own. 

Eren moved closer to him and pressed his lips on Levi’s in a tender kiss. 

“Won’t you forget about me?” he muttered, looking at Levi. 

Fear and worry were reflected in his eyes and Levi could tell this wasn’t the first time he thought about their future. It wasn’t the fist he thought about it either, he had wondered many times what would happen if they didn’t see each other every day as they did now, if their relationship was strong enough to survive the long distance, but in that moment, looking in Eren’s eyes and seeing a flicker of hope shine in his them he’d have done anything to make it work and to be with Eren for many years to come. 

“I’ll never forget you,” Levi said. “I…” he continued but the words got stuck in his throat. His heart beat faster than before and the knot in his stomach came back with full force. He swallowed the lump in his throat and took a deep breath. This wasn’t the time to be scared, he needed to tell Eren the truth and assure him that him going to college would never change his feelings; nothing could. 

“I love you, Eren.” 

Eren’s eyes widened and his lips parted in surprise as he stared at Levi. He didn’t say anything which was making Levi almost have a heart attack, but his mouth soon morphed into a smile and his hand came to cup Levi’s face once more. 

“I love you too, Levi,” he said with eyes that reflected his words. 

The first thing that crossed Levi’s mind was relief. He had been worrying about saying those words out loud for far too long and finally telling Eren had lifted a weight from his shoulder. Together with that relief there was a new happiness and sense of ease that invaded him and ran through his whole body carried by the blood in his veins. He simply smiled. No words could have been able to express the whirlwind of his emotions. 

Levi shifted on the bed, moving closer to Eren, and wrapped an arm around his middle, caressing his back as their lips met in a kiss that confirmed all they said. Eren slowly pressed Levi onto the mattress, never parting their lips, but kissing more ardently. He nibbled Levi’s bottom lip and Levi opened his mouth for their tongues to meet in a sensuous dance that they had practiced many times. 

An insatiable need formed inside Levi, a desire to have a deeper connection with Eren than a simple touch of lips. He thrust his hips, his erection already strained his pants, and his hands roaming Eren’s back, travelling under his T-shirt and dipping under the hem of his sweatpants. 

Eren broke the kiss and moved down to his neck to leave a trail of kisses down the skin there before going back up and stopping next to Levi’s ear. 

“Levi,” he whispered in a hoarse voice that sent shivers through Levi’s body. “Do you want to have sex?” 

Levi knew it was supposed to be a somewhat sexy question and he should have been even more turned on by it, but he couldn’t hold back the laugh that escaped his lips. 

“Sorry,” he said. “You’re so dense sometimes, it’s quite funny.” 

“I just wanted to make sure you were comfortable with it,” Eren said with a small pout. 

“I’m very comfortable with that, are you?” 

“God, yes,” Eren eagerly replied. 

Levi smirked and put a hand behind Eren’s neck, bringing him down for another kiss. As they kissed his hands moved down Eren’s body until they reached the end of his T-shirt and wandered underneath it, slowly pulling it up to remove it. Eren stood up and took it off, muscles flexing and hair falling on his face from the movement. Levi always marvelled at seeing him naked, all the workout Eren did had definitely paid off and Levi found himself tracing the patterns of his abdomen whenever he saw it. 

Eren plastered himself on Levi once again but their positions soon changed and despite the small size of the bed, Levi managed to be on top without falling on the floor or smashing his head against the wall. He started a journey down Eren’s body, kissing first his neck, occasionally sucking red patches on the skin, and then moved lower to his neckbones and his chest, making a stop to encircle his mouth around Eren’s nipple, licking and sucking it, which made Eren writhe underneath him. He moved again, travelling further down in his mission to kiss every inch of Eren’s body and give him all the love he deserved. He left open mouthed kisses on his stomach and low abdomen, on the hairs that from his belly button led under his pants where Levi found his destination. 

Before tugging down Eren’s sweatpants, Levi glanced up and was met with a vison that made both his heart and cock throb. Eren’s eyes were closed, his bottom lip caught between his teeth and the loveliest shade of pink on his cheeks. From time to time moans escaped his mouth and his lips trembled at Levi’s touches. Eren opened his eyes when Levi stopped, and the green of the iris had almost vanished, replaced by a dark lust. 

Levi kept the eye contact as he tugged Eren’s pants down, freeing his hard erection and taking it into his hand. He pumped it a few times and then licked the underside of Eren’s cock. A hiss came from Eren and he closed his eyes again, bucking his hips as he brought a hand to Levi’s hair. 

“Levi,” he moaned when Levi reached the tip and licked away the pre-cum, a bitter taste spreading in his mouth. 

Levi placed his hands on Eren’s hips to keep him from moving too much and wrapped his lips around his head, sucking it before going further down. Eren’s hand fell from his hair and gripped the sheets as moans and incoherent words left his mouth. Levi bobbed his head up and down, sucking and swirling his tongue around Eren’s cock, enjoying the sounds that were coming from his lover. 

He continued with the same rhythm, stroking with his hand the base of Eren’s cock, guided by the noises he was making and by the praises that fell from his lips. It wasn’t long before Eren was trying to move away from him, his words cut out by moans and his hands failing to find a strong grip. 

“Levi, I’m…ah…close,” Eren warned. 

Levi didn’t move, though, and instead sucked harder and stoked him faster, so much so that Eren was soon arching his back, head sinking into the pillow and heels digging in the mattress. Levi squeezed his hip and Eren was soon coming in his mouth, cum hitting the back of his throat as he sucked Eren dry. 

After his release, Eren stayed still on the bed, chest heaving with more and more regularity and Levi rested beside him, turned on his side to look at him. When Eren’s gaze finally fell on him together with a soft smile on his lips, Levi’s chest tightened, and his mouth curved into a similar smile. Eren cupped Levi’s face, caressing his cheek before kissing him. 

“I thought we were supposed to have sex,” he said. 

“We are,” Levi replied and opened the bedside table to take out the lube and condoms. “Now it’s your turn to work.” 

Eren’s eyes widened in a mixture of surprise and excitement. 

“You mean you want me to…” he trailed off. 

“Yes,” Levi replied, putting the bottle of lube in Eren’s hand. 

Eren kissed him again and their positions changed once more while Levi’s nervousness rose. He was ready to have sex with Eren, he had done his research and knew that the first times it would be uncomfortable, but his stomach still twisted, and his heart pounded in his chest as Eren undressed him. He was soon naked, completely vulnerable and exposed, but Eren’s eyes were so loving and awe-struck that the discomfort Levi was feeling faded away. 

Their eyes met and through them their hearts did too. Their feelings travelled in that gaze that showed their love more than words ever could and Levi understood what it meant to love and to be loved. 

Eren bent down and covered Levi’s mouth with his own. Levi wrapped his arms around Eren’s shoulders, his hand running though Eren’s long hair as he kissed him, teeth biting and tongues meeting. Levi hadn’t noticed Eren opening the lube, so when he felt one of his fingers prodding his entrance a moan resounded in his throat. 

Eren broke the kiss and sat between Levi’s legs, spreading them as his eyes trained on Levi’s and his finger plunged in. Levi had done this a few times so the feeling wasn’t foreign to him, yet knowing it was Eren touching him that way made it all different. Eren was careful and slow, too slow even, taking his time with fingering Levi and making sure he wasn’t uncomfortable with tender touches on his hips and small kisses on his stomach. Levi quickly got used to the sensation and bucked his hips, meeting Eren’s finger to spur him on but Eren seemed determined to do it at his own pace. 

“This isn’t the first time I’ve had a finger in my ass, so you can go a bit faster,” he impatiently said. 

“Isn’t it?” Eren smirked. “Did you do it yourself?” 

“Yes.” 

“Were you thinking about me when you did it?” 

Levi glared at him and a blush appeared on his cheeks, still, he never dropped his gaze as he replied, “I was.” 

Eren groaned and he captured Levi’s lips with his own as he inserted a second finger. He worked Levi open at a faster pace, thrusting his fingers in and out, scissoring him and massaging his inner walls, searching. Levi rolled his tongue inside Eren’s mouth, holding onto his shoulders as Eren’s fingers took him into another dimension. 

The kiss left both of them panting and with the need for more. Eren added a third finger, leaving kisses on Levi’s thighs as he did so, nibbling his skin and sucking lightly to make him feel all the pleasure. With each movement he brushed over Levi’s prostate, driving Levi mad as it wasn’t enough, but it made his hard cock twitch, nonetheless. 

“That’s enough, Eren,” Levi said in a rough voice, pushing Eren’s hand away from him. 

“Are you sure?” Eren replied, mouth still on Levi’s thighs. 

“Fuck yes,” Levi said, grabbing the box of condoms and throwing it at Eren. 

Eren chuckled and after stretching him a few more times, he removed his fingers. The empty sensation was unwelcomed, and Levi almost whined as his body ached for release. He didn’t have to wait for long, though, as Eren rolled a condom on his hard erection and used some more lube before aligning himself with Levi’s entrance. 

“Tell me if I’m hurting you,” he said, cheeks pink and eyes blown wide. 

The sight tuned Levi on even more and he eagerly nodded, impatient to have Eren inside of him. When Eren slowly pushed his tip inside, Levi’s face contorted, and he bit his bottom lip, instantly tensing around Eren. This was a feeling he wasn’t used to, and the stretch burnt, making him feel pain more than pleasure. Eren rubbed soothing circles on his hip and kissed his chest, moving up to his neck and ear, a small fire burning on Levi’s skin at his every touch. 

Eren’s touches worked their magic and Levi relaxed around him. Eren continued to push inside, taking his time and letting Levi adjust as he got used to the sensation. Levi encircled Eren’s shoulders with his arms and hooked his legs around Eren’s waist, making Eren sink deeper into him. They both moaned at the sudden movement and the discomfort Levi was feeling got replaced by a burning pleasure that took over his body and mind. 

“Eren,” he moaned as he started to rock his hips to spur Eren into movement. 

He wasn’t left wanting, and with careful thrusts, Eren began to fuck him, panting in his ears as he did so. Levi closed his eyes, biting his bottom lip at Eren’s movements and thrusting together with him. It was everything he had imagined and the complete opposite. Eren’s hands on either side of his face, his hair falling on him, tickling his cheeks and his name coming out from Eren’s mouth were things he had fantasised about before, but he didn’t expect the softness that went with every movement, every tender word Eren said that made Levi’s heart pound even harder and the same words escaping his own mouth. He couldn’t bite back the praises and loving words that came out between the strained moans nor he wanted to. Now that he had told Eren he loved him he couldn’t stop doing it, not only with his words but also with his body. 

Their lips looked for each other and met in a sloppy kiss, tongues tangling and teeth clashing as their bodies continued to move at a fast pace. Eren kept brushing Levi’s sweet spot, if by accident or on purpose Levi didn’t know, but he couldn’t stand the torturous touch anymore. 

“Eren,” he panted. “To the right.” 

Eren angled his thrusts as Levi had told him and when he finally hit his prostate, Levi threw his head on the pillow while his legs fell from Eren’s waist and he saw stars behind his closed eyelids, mouth open in a silent cry. Eren groaned and his movements quickened, ramming into Levi relentlessly, the sound of skin slapping on kiss soon filling the room and mingling with their moans. 

The way Eren kept hitting his sweet spot made Levi lightheaded. His thoughts were an incoherent mess and his body was chasing after Eren’s every time the boy pulled back before thrusting back in. Waves of pleasure washed over Levi mixed with a sweet affection that made it all better. The fact that it was Eren making him feel that way, that called his name in a strained voice and whose lips were all over him turned the sex into an act of love and the emotional pleasure outweighed the physical one. 

Overwhelmed by his feelings and the bliss taking over his body, Levi dropped his hands from Eren’s shoulders and wrapped one around his cock, feeling himself on the edge of orgasm. Eren took his other hand in his own and laced their fingers together. Levi opened his eyes to see Eren with flushed cheeks, lips glistering with saliva and hair stack to his forehead; it was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen. 

He squeezed their laced fingers and brought their lips together in a kiss that was the complete opposite of what their bodies were doing, it was slow and tender and sent Levi’s heart flying. 

“Levi,” Eren panted as a warning when their kiss broke. 

Levi clamped around him, making Eren’s thrusts become erratic and as he squeezed Levi’s hand harder, Eren came, crying his lover’s name. Hearing and seeing Eren come was all Levi needed to trip over the edge and with Eren’s name on his lips, he came as well, hot spurts of come panting his and Eren’s chest. 

After Levi’s release, Eren collapsed on top of him, knocking the air out of Levi, but they were both too tired to move. Eren nuzzled into Levi’s neck, their fingers still laced, and they both remained still as they came down from their high. Levi’s mind was blank, and his body felt light in the post-coital bliss, but Eren’s heat on him kept him grounded to reality. 

When their breaths finally evened again, Eren pulled out of Levi and laid on the side, looking at him through half lidded eyes. Levi first focused on his loving smile and gaze and then moved down to his chest, grimacing at the mess on it. 

“Shower,” he said. 

“Please, no,” Eren whined. 

“You’re not sleeping in my bed like that.” 

Eren groaned but stood up and went with Levi to the bathroom. It was a good thing as Levi’s legs were wabbly and he found it hard to walk on his own which made Eren smirk. They took another quick shower, too tired to do anything else than washing themselves and then went back to Levi’s room. 

Levi contemplated changing the sheets but his whole body was screaming in protest to get some rest, so he postponed it to the morning. They laid face to face and Eren took Levi between in arms, kissing the top of his hair while his heart beat close to Levi’s. Levi hugged him back, burying his face in Eren’s chest and tangling their legs together. He closed his eyes and pressed his body against Eren’s even more, trying to fill even the smallest gap between them. Eren caressed his back, kissing his hair once more. 

“I love you,” he whispered in his ear. 

“I love you too,” Levi said in the same hush tone as those words were meant only for him. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are always appreciated :)  
> [ My Tumblr ](https://rachel--exe.tumblr.com/)


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone!  
> I have a few things to say about this chapter, but first I want to thank you for the lovely comments I've received for the last chapter, they made me really happy! <3  
> In this chapter not much happens to be honest, but I think sometimes you need more plain chapters to transition from one event to the other. There is some cheap angst, though, who knew getting divorced took this long? This is the last time I'll explicitly bring it up (I'm sure you're already fed up with it), but I need it for the future, I hope you'll forgive me. However, that's not the only thing that happens, but I'm not going to spoil that.  
> I hope you enjoy! :)

Levi’s eyes fluttered behind his eyelids, mind still clouded with sleep and senses only partially awake. The first sensation his body registered was something hard pinning him to the bed, making it impossible for him to move, but he couldn’t identify what it was. He slowly opened his eyes, blinking a few times before focusing on a hand hanging out from the bed. Even in his haze, he was sure it wasn’t his as both of his hands were securely inside the warm blankets, so he stared at it for a few seconds, still puzzled. That was when he heard a steady breathing in his ear and was aware of the leg tangled with his own.

In a sudden moment of realisation, all the memories from the previous night came to his mind and he couldn’t stop the way his heart started to beat. He had finally told Eren he loved him and Eren had said it back. His face opened up into a big smile and he felt so stupid and ashamed of himself for how happy he was, but there was no way of containing his joy. 

He tried to turn around to be more comfortable since he could barely breathe with Eren laid on his back, but the boy didn’t move. He didn’t want to wake him up; it was probably still quite early and deep down he didn’t want Eren to leave, so he tried to be gentle, to untangle their legs and move away from him. All his efforts were in vain and his limbs were starting to get numb, so he pushed Eren away with more force and was rewarded with a groan, but what followed was even worse. 

Eren’s hand wasn’t hanging anymore but was securely holding Levi’s middle, plastering him to his chest while he curved his legs underneath Levi’s and made it almost impossible for the boy to move. Eren nuzzled into Levi’s hair and Levi thought he felt something light and soft touch his neck, but he couldn’t be too sure as Eren still seemed asleep. 

Positioned like that, Levi could forget about getting up or even turning to the side, so he decided it was time to do something about it. 

“Eren,” he called with a croaky voice, touching his arm. 

Eren groaned but didn’t move, only held him tighter. 

“Eren,” Levi repeated, using more force this time and wiggling in Eren’s embrace. 

“Let me cuddle you,” Eren muttered with his mouth still buried in Levi’s hair. 

“I can’t feel the left side of my body anymore.” 

Eren grunted but loosened his grip, letting Levi turn around before holding him close again. Levi hugged him back, tangling their legs together once more, and Eren placed a kiss on his forehead. 

“Are you always this clingy in the morning?” Levi asked with a note of amusement in his voice. 

“I love you,” was Eren’s reply. 

Levi’s breath hitched in his throat and his heart started to palpitate faster, but that didn’t prevent him from glaring at Eren. How could he say those word so easily when it had taken him weeks to gather up the courage to tell him? 

Eren was looking at him with sleepy eyes and a smile on his lips that soon went out of Levi’s sight as he placed another kiss on his forehead. 

“Stop it,” Levi protested as he was still trying to calm his heartbeat. 

“I can’t help myself,” Eren continued, kissing Levi’s cheek. “I love you so much, Levi.” 

He continued to shower Levi with kisses, moving from his cheeks to his jaw and behind his ear which made Levi squirm. 

“I’m glad you finally told me you love me,” Eren said, lips still on Levi. 

His touches were fogging Levi’s thoughts once again, but the implication of the last sentence didn’t escape him. 

“What do you mean finally?” Levi asked, stopping Eren’s movements and looking at him. 

Eren moved away from him and kept his gaze as he replied, “You were colder than usual these last weeks and it felt like you were avoiding me.” 

“I wasn’t,” Levi retorted, but he knew Eren was right. 

“It’s okay,” Eren assured him. “I told you I’d wait for you and so I did.” 

“What if I never told you?” 

“I would have said it first,” Eren simply said. “I had already fallen pretty hard before we got together, but I didn’t want to pressure you. I still wouldn’t have let you overthink about it too much, though.” 

Levi felt the weight of those weeks spent avoiding Eren fall on him. It was worse than when he was brooding over his feelings and keeping them away from Eren. A pit opened in his stomach at the thought of how Eren had felt during that time and of how he had left him alone. 

“I’m sorry,” he said. 

“There’s nothing you have apologise for,” Eren retorted with a smile. “I love you so much I’d patiently wait for years for you.” 

“I love you too, Eren,” Levi said. 

“I know,” Eren smiled and brought his face closer to Levi’s, placing a tender kiss on his lips. 

Levi clutched the back of his T-shirt as he pressed his lips harder. He wasn’t good with words, they never seemed to convey what he truly meant, so he tried to communicate his feelings with the hard touch of his lips and by never letting go of Eren’s T-shirt, as if it was the only thing that could speak for him. 

When the kiss broke, Eren buried his face in Levi’s chest, plastering himself on Levi and squeezing him tight. Levi didn’t mind it and let Eren hold him as he still gripped his T-shirt with one hand while with the other he mindlessly caressed him arm. 

They dozed off for a while, sharing chaste kisses and whispering “I love you” to each other. The world outside Levi’s bedroom didn’t exist for them, the curtains were still drawn and only a speck of light came into the room, just enough to make out their figures. 

It was later in the morning when Eren started to stir and kissed Levi’s neck, taking him away from his dreams as well. 

“I think I have to go,” he muttered against Levi’s skin. 

“Are you sure?” Levi asked him with a bit of hope. 

“Yes,” Eren replied in a resigned tone. “I have to meet with my dad today.” 

Levi’s eyes snapped to Eren, looking at him baffled. “Why? And why the hell didn’t you tell me before? You could have gone home yesterday.” 

“I just wanted to spend as much time as I could with you before seeing him,” Eren explained. 

“I thought he had already sent the papers for divorce months ago.” 

“He did, but that was just the beginning. My parents aren’t officially divorced yet and the judge still has to decide with whom me and Mikasa are going to live.” 

Levi’s eyes widened in fear; the sole thought of Eren leaving the town made his face whiten. 

“There’s nothing to worry,” Eren assured him, caressing his cheek. “My father was the one to leave us and my mom has a secure job, so it’s unlikely I’ll go away.” 

“You should have told me,” Levi said, smacking his arm. 

“It was a big day for you yesterday, I didn’t want to ruin it.” 

“There was no need to be so considerate,” Levi scolded. “You know you can tell me anything.” 

“I do, but I just wanted to forget about it for a while,” Eren said. 

The tone of his voice wasn’t sad or regretful, there was more of a hint of anger in it and frustration. 

“Don’t do anything rush,” Levi said, trying to calm Eren down. “There’s still a dent on the locker you punched last semester.” 

Eren groaned. “Don’t remind me of that,” he said, covering his face in embarrassment. “I won’t do anything like that, I promise.” 

“Good,” Levi retorted. “Now let’s get ready.” 

He sat on the bed, moving the covers to get up, but before he could do that Eren stopped him. 

“Thank you,” he said, pecking Levi’s cheek. 

Blood ran to Levi’s face and his stomach filled with butterflies. “You don’t have to thank me,” he murmured. “And wash your teeth, your morning breath is disgusting.” 

Eren chuckled and the hard expression on his face softened, making Levi feel relieved. 

They both got up and headed to the bathroom, washing their faces and teeth before changing into some clean clothes. Eren packed his bag which didn’t have much in it, so it didn’t take him long to get ready to leave. As he did than, Levi removed the sheets from the bed, piling them into a corner for later. 

Once Eren was ready, they went downstairs, straight to the door since Eren didn’t have time to have breakfast at Levi’s. They stood on the door frame, Eren with his usual messy hair and breath-taking smile, while Levi held on to the door, loneliness already tugging at him. 

“Text me when everything’s done,” he said. 

“I will,” Eren assured him. “See you at school.” 

“See you,” Levi replied and stood on his toes to kiss Eren’s lips. 

Eren smiled before turning around and leaving Levi’s house. 

After closing the door, Levi went to the kitchen, playing with the bracelet on his wrist as he crossed the living room and entered the kitchen where he abruptly stopped in his tracks. 

“Good morning, Levi,” Kenny said. 

He was sitting at the kitchen table, a mug in his hand and a plate with some crumbs in front of him. He was wearing a black shirt and probably some pants, but Levi’s eyes didn’t go as far as that. His face went pale and his breathing stopped while he stared at his uncle. 

“My shift starts later today and instead of having breakfast at the bar as I usually do, I thought we could eat something together, but strange noises were coming out from your room, so I thought it was better if I ate alone.” 

“A friend stayed over,” Levi blurted out as he cursed himself. 

He should have been more careful, making sure his uncle was out before doing anything with Eren. He was sure they hadn’t done anything noisy that morning, but his uncle’s room was right next to his and even the faintest of sounds could be heard through the thin walls. 

“A friend?” Kenny smirked as he placed the mug on top of the plate. 

“Yes,” Levi replied while the shock from before started to fade away and his mind began to function again. 

Kenny stood up and took the plate with the mug to the sink, putting it inside before walking to the door. 

“Alright,” he said. “You can tell your _friend_ he can stay over as many times as he likes, I don’t mind.” 

Levi didn’t know what to say, so he just nodded as confusion and embarrassment mixed inside him. 

Kenny grinned, obviously not fooled by Levi’s lie, but didn’t add anything else. There was no sign of anger or reproach on his face, only the satisfaction of an adult making fun of a teenager caught red-handed. 

“I’m off to work,” he said, leaving the kitchen and seconds after Levi heard the sound of the front door closing behind him. 

Levi stood in the middle of the kitchen, wishing a giant hole opened in the floor to swallow him, but unfortunately, that didn’t happen, and he had to face the embarrassment that came with his uncle’s last words. Was that the first time he had heard the two of them? It had already happened that Eren had stayed until late, probably too late, but he had always gone home for the night, making sure to be quiet if his uncle was already home. 

Levi didn’t know what to think, he was utterly embarrassed, more so because this was the second time they talked with a tone of familiarity and it just had to be about Levi’s love life. At least, he hadn’t seemed bothered by the fact that he had a boyfriend and not a girlfriend, and that already made things easier. 

He finally put those thoughts to the side and went to make his own breakfast. As he opened the tap to fill his mug with water, his eyes fell on the dishes his uncle had used. He had said something about having breakfast together, but why? He had never done that, not even on Christmas day, so why now? What had changed? Did it have to do with the talk they had a week before? 

Levi didn’t know what to think, it was all so sudden and unexpected that he still had no clue about his uncle’s intentions. He didn’t seem to be holding a grudge against him nor was he trying to ruin his plans for the future, and Levi wasn’t expecting any act of kindness from him. Maybe he was trying to make up for all the years of neglect, Levi thought, and actually build a family relationship with him, but Levi wasn’t sure about that either. 

While he pondered about his uncle’s intentions, Levi made himself some breakfast and ate it while watching TV. A basketball game was playing before his eyes and soon all the other thoughts vanished, and his mind was filled with the excitement from the day before. 

He was going to be part of one of the best university teams in the state. 

A new fire lit inside him and he was impatient to feel the rough fabric of the ball underneath his fingertips, hear the sound it made as it hit the floor and the rush of adrenaline that always came with it. Even if his final goal wasn’t to become a professional player, he still wanted to improve and become the best player he could, facing strong teams and putting himself out there. 

The more he thought about it, though, the more the idea appealed to him. He imagined how it would feel to play on a bigger stage with thousands of people calling his name, strong opponents fearing him and the responsibility of directing a national team. His body trembled with the excitement and his lips unconsciously turned up into a smile. It just a big fantasy, a dream that would take a lot of time to come true, something impossible even, but the idea had planted a seed in his mind, and he couldn’t help picturing himself playing on the same court as the players on TV. 

Maybe becoming a sports caster could be his backup plan, a safe net to fall back into if his abilities weren’t enough, but one way or the other, he still wanted to play basketball for as much as he could. 

After the game ended, Levi did the usual house chores, cleaning the dishes, washing the sheets and making the bed. More often than not, his eyes fell on the bracelet on his wrist and he wondered what was Eren doing in that moment. Was he already in the same room as his dad? How was he feeling? But most importantly, was he going to stay? 

Eren’s argument about him staying with his mom had seemed pretty solid, but one could never know. When his father had left him and his mom, his parents weren’t married and in all these years his dad had never showed up, so he this time his experience couldn’t be of any comfort to him. He just had to trust Eren and hope for the best. 

Levi restlessly cleaned his room over and over, dusting under the bed, on the higher shelves, behind his desk. He then moved to the bathroom, making everything sparkled before he left the room an hour later. He did anything he could to keep his hands busy as a tight knot took hold of his stomach. Eren’s situation was making him more nervous than he had thought and what was worse was that he couldn’t do anything. He couldn’t be there with him, hold his hand or give him a reassuring smile. Nothing. 

Once he was done with cleaning, he moved on to his homework and studied for a while with his mind constantly going to Eren. He didn’t get much done, but it didn’t matter; he wasn’t behind, and he could afford spending a day worrying instead of focusing. 

In the afternoon, Hange texted him to ask him about the college tour and making not so hidden remarks about Eren staying over, but Levi didn’t give in this time. There were things he didn’t want to share with anyone, things that were meant only for him and Eren and that gave him comfort. Knowing there was someone out there that loved him not because he was his family and felt obliged to do so, and not because he wanted to gain something from him, but because he chose to, was one of the best sensations he had ever felt. 

_Stop being a cheesy idiot_ Levi told himself, but he couldn’t stop the way his mouth curved into a smile nor the way his chest tightened at the thought of Eren. 

The day went by uneventful. He usually liked to go play basketball on the weekend, especially now that he still had a lot to catch up, but his back was hurting and sometimes when he bent a sting of pain hit the lower parts of his body, so he decided to rest. 

He was about to make himself some dinner when his phone buzzed. He whipped it out, thinking it was still Hange, trying to get some “juicy details” from the night before, as they called it, but his eyes landed on Eren’s name. He opened the message like his life depended on it and hungrily read the words in front of him. 

**Eren: I told you it would be fine, I’m not going anywhere :)**

The knot in Levi’s stomach finally loosened its grip and Levi could once again breath normally, relieved by the news. He spent the evening in a much lighter mood, texting to and fro with Eren, but the boy wasn’t as talkative as he usually was, and Levi still felt he was keeping something from him. Eren was probably still processing what had happened during the day, so Levi let it slide for now, deciding to dig more into it once they saw each other at school. 

He went to his bedroom sooner than usual, not wanting to see his uncle and have awkward conversations again and chatted with Eren until his eyelids closed by themselves and his phone fell from his sleepy hand. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are always appreciated :)  
> [ My Tumblr ](https://rachel--exe.tumblr.com/)


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, the new chapter's here! I should probably mention that this story is slowly coming to an end, I'd say there are still around five chapters left, maybe less, but I still don't want to let this go, so who knows :)  
> Thanks for reading :)

It was Monday, and Levi was already at school, waiting in front of the gate for Eren to arrive. Whenever someone appeared, he would look up at them expectantly, but until now he had been disappointed every time. He shifted on his feet, checking his phone as classes were about to start and still no sign of the boy. Finally, a familiar car parked in front of the school and Eren and Mikasa got out, waving goodbye to their mother. Eren’s eyes immediately fell on Levi who walked towards him while almost having a cardiac arrest. Trying to calm down, Levi averted his gaze and looked inside the car only to be met by Carla’s eyes already on him. She waved at him before getting into the lane and going away, while Levi’s heart still hadn’t recovered.

“Hi, babe,” Eren said, stopping beside him as Mikasa headed towards the school after greeting Levi as well. 

“Hello,” Levi replied. 

Eren smiled and then bent down to place a kiss on Levi’s lips, officially sending Levi’s heart into overdrive. 

“How was the weekend?” Levi asked, trying to ease into the family topic. 

“It was okay, I spent a lot of time outside with mom and Mikasa,” Eren shrugged. “But otherwise very lonely without you.” 

Levi glared at him. He knew what Eren was doing, he was trying to embarrass him to make him forget about the elephant in the room, but this time he dodged the compliment and went straight to the point. 

“And Saturday?” 

Eren huffed. “Can we do this later?” he asked. “School is about to start and that’s already terrible.” 

“We don’t have to this at all if you don’t want to,” Levi told him. 

“I want to tell you, just not now.” 

“Whenever you want,” Levi said, holding his hand and lacing their fingers together. 

Eren pulled him towards himself in a tight embrace, burying his face his Levi’s neck. Levi was caught off guard by the sudden movement, but he soon regained his composure and hugged him back, part of him conscious of where they were, but part of him not caring at all. 

Eren raised his head just enough to whisper in Levi’s ear, “I love you.” 

This time Levi’s heart didn’t keep up and promptly stopped. 

“Will you ever stop being so cheesy?” he asked while hiding his blush in Eren’s scarf. 

Eren chuckled. “Never.” 

Levi groaned in frustration but secretly hoped Eren held to his words. 

“It’s time to go inside,” he said, unwrapping himself from Eren. 

Eren kissed him once again before heading towards the school together. They only parted when they had to go to their respective classrooms and Levi braced himself for the tsunami of questions Hange was bound to submerge him with. 

He was surprised, though, as when he entered the biology lab, Hange didn’t even seem to have heard him. He walked towards them and only when he dumped his backpack on the desk, did Hange lift their head from the book in front of them. 

“You’re already here?” they asked. 

“Classes start in two minutes, so yes.” 

“Already?” they asked, surprised and looked at the watch on their wrist. “Oh, yes.” 

“Was the book so interesting you lost track of time?” Levi said, looking at the pictures of an earth divided into sections. 

“I wasn’t even reading,” they murmured. 

This was a different reaction from what Levi had expected and he didn’t know if it was a good or a bad one yet. 

“What’s going on?” he questioned, sitting on the stool and thinking that the day was going to be full of deep chats. 

“Moblit asked me out,” they said. 

“And?” 

“I don’t know what to say,” Hange huffed. “I told him about my sexuality, and he seemed to have understood, but I’m afraid he won’t be okay with it in the future.” 

“Do you like him or not?” 

“I do and that’s the problem,” Hange said with a despairing expression. “He’s really nice and he’s into science like me, we had a whole conversation about genetic mutation and what people would look like in the future. We’ve talked about it for hours, but if felt like two seconds had passed.” 

“That’s a good start,” Levi replied, admiring Moblit’s ability to keep up with Hange as when they started to talk about something they loved, it was hard to make them shut up. 

“It is and there are so many other things I like about him as a person, but there’s always something holding me back.” 

“Does it have to do with the fact that he isn’t asexual?” Levi asked. 

“Maybe,” Hange confessed in a hush voice. “I’m afraid I can’t give him what he wants.” 

“Listen, being in a relationship isn’t just about sex, it’s about support and being there for each other. Sex is just something that often comes with it, but it could never be a substitute for real intimacy and love, so stop being so worried about it.” 

Hange looked at Levi with a bemused expression on their face. “Since when did you become so wise?” they asked. “Being with Eren has really changed you.” 

“Shut up,” Levi replied, rolling his eyes. “My point is, if the moment when Moblit tells you he can’t live without sex ever comes you’ll deal with it then. For now just see how things go, he might turn out to be a jerk.” 

“Wow, I’m seriously taking love lessons from you,” Hange said. “Eren has really done a good job with you.” 

Levi glared at them, but his comeback was cut off by his friend. 

“Fine,” Hange said. “I’ll give us a chance.” 

“Good.” 

Hange distorted his gaze from Levi and seemed lost in their thoughts for a few seconds before turning towards him with a look that didn’t promise anything good. 

“Will you come with me?” they asked. 

“Where?” Levi questioned, already suspecting the answer. 

“To the date with Moblit.” 

“What? No.” 

“C’mon, it’ll make me feel more at ease,” Hange whined. “You could come with Eren and make this a double date.” 

“Why can’t you go with Erwin and Armin?” 

“Because you’re scarier.” 

“I’m not scary,” Levi defended himself. 

“You actually are sometimes, especially when you don’t want to do something, and this date is the perfect use for that.” 

“Stop saying bullshit, I’m not coming.” 

“Please, Levi,” Hange begged him with a poor attempt at making puppy eyes. 

“Fine, I’ll ask Eren about it,” Levi gave in. 

“Yes!” Hange exclaimed, throwing their arms around Levi’s neck. 

“Just try not to make it awkward,” Levi replied, moving away from Hange’s grip. 

“I promise I’ll behave.” 

“I don’t really trust you on that but lately I always find myself in awkward situations, so one more isn’t going to kill me.” 

“What awkward situations have you gotten yourself into?” Hange asked amused as they finally sat back on their stool. 

“I’ll tell you another day,” Levi dismissed them. 

“Tell me now,” Hange prodded, but Levi didn’t give in and when the professor finally arrived he had never been happier to see her. 

After the morning chat, Hange seemed to have returned to their normal extroverted self, a nice change after the days they had spent brooding about their possible relationship with Moblit. For as much as he didn’t like to openly admit it, Levi was happy about it and enjoyed his usual bickering with them all the more. 

Eren happily agreed on going on a double date with Hange and Moblit (not that Levi had any doubts, Eren was too kind to say no), and Hange suggested the most cliché date for it: Valentine’s day. There was still a bit of time before it, so Hange could clear their head from any doubts and Levi could prepare himself for a most definitely awkward meal. 

For all the time they spent together at lunch, Eren always found a way to have some physical contact with Levi, whether it was by wrapping his arm around Levi’s waist or putting his hand on his thigh, there was always something to connect them. Levi was hyperaware of that touch, more than usual, as his body responded to Eren’s in a new way and his feeling were tuned in with those of the boy. Images from the night they had spent together kept coming to his mind, making his pants uncomfortably tight and distracting him from what was happening in front of him. 

Erwin, Armin and Hange were caught up in a conversation Levi hadn’t been able to follow and judging by Eren’s expression, neither had he. There was still some time before lunch was over and Levi decided to make the most of it. 

“Do you want to go somewhere else?” he asked Eren as his hand was making his way under Levi’s sweater. 

Eren nodded with eyes full of need and they quickly packed their stuff, leaving their friends behind while they headed to a more private place. Going outside was out of the question since it was too cold, so they opted for the next best place which was the locker room as there were no club activities yet and all the other students were busy with lunch. 

As the door closed behind them, Eren pinned Levi to a wall, slotting their lips together in a bruising kiss. Levi held on to him, taking fistfuls of his sweater and bringing him closer and closer until he was completely caged between Eren’s arms and the wall. He needed to feel the weight of Eren’s body on his own, his warmth and the intoxicating sensation that came with it. 

He bit Eren’s bottom lip hard enough to make Eren’s mouth part in a gasp and he took the opportunity to deepen the kiss, licking the roof of his mouth before sliding their tongues together. Eren moaned, evidently pleased by Levi’s eagerness that was overwhelming both of them. Levi’s hands travelled to Eren’s hair, dishevelling his bun and making it fall on his face to tickle his own cheeks. 

Eren was the first to pull away from the kiss, resting his forehead on Levi’s as his breath came out ragged. 

“Do you want me to get you off?” he asked. 

The suggestion appealed to Levi more than anything in that moment, but the locker room wasn’t the best place for it as there was always the risk of someone walking in. 

“Just kiss me,” Levi replied and Eren did just that. 

He kissed him with the same passion as before, making his way inside Levi’s mouth, taking hold of his hips and pressing even closer to him. Levi clung onto him as if that was the only thing that mattered in the entire world; nothing else was as important as the sensation Eren’s lips on his gave him and the chills that ran through his body under that touch that lit his skin on fire.

Levi was so absorbed in the kiss that he was caught off guard when the bell rang, intruding in his thoughts, but he still didn’t let go of Eren. He kissed him harder, chasing Eren’s tongue inside the boy’s mouth, licking and exploring until he was out of breath. 

When he pulled away, Eren’s cheeks were red and his lips swollen and glistening with saliva, which made Levi regret the fact that they were at school all the more. His body still ached for more, still longed to feel Eren’s skin on his own, his lips leaving kisses all over him and doing the same in return, tasting every inch of his body and making him squirm with pleasure. 

The light in Eren’s eyes told him he was having the same thoughts and his thumbs found their way underneath Levi’s sweater, rubbing circles that made Levi shiver. The boy kissed him once more, lingering on his lips before pulling away and retreating his hands. 

“I love you,” Eren said, and his voice cut right through Levi, making his heart swell more than his touch had done. 

“I love you too,” Levi whispered, the words still unfamiliar to him. 

Eren pulled away from him, letting Levi move away from the wall and then held his hand, smiling at him as they made their way out of the locker room. There was still no one in sight, so they were quick to leave the place and merge with the other students in the hallways. 

“Do you want to go home together later?” Eren asked before they parted. 

“Sure.” 

“Okay,” Eren said, and squeezed Levi’s hand before they each went to their own classrooms. 

The next time Levi went to the locker room was right after school, when he changed into his training uniform and headed to the gym. Eren wasn’t there yet, which didn’t surprise Levi at all since he was always the first to reach the gym to have more time to train, so he consoled himself with the thought of seeing him later. 

As per usual, he started the warm up before the rest of his teammates, running a few laps of the gym and doing some exercises with the rope. The excitement of the weekend still hadn’t faded away and the urge to be better pushed him from the inside, driving him forward until his muscles ached more than usual, but his movements were more fluid. 

What he liked the most about his team was that no one was there just to kill time, everyone had a serious passion for basketball and a similar hunger for victory; if someone didn’t, they usually quit after the first week of training. Each player was eager to push their boundaries and that helped Levi to do the same. There was a healthy rivalry among all the members of the team as everyone aimed to be in a game from the start and contribute to the victory as much as they could. 

As he trained with his current team, Levi’s mind often travelled miles and pictured the players from Shinganshina University playing with such grace and harmony that spurred him to get to their level. He tossed and scored more than usual that day. His legs screamed in pain and his lungs begged for air, but Levi’s mind was clear, and his sole objective was to become the best. 

“What happened to you last weekend?” Mike asked him as they were taking a break from training. “You’re on fire today.” 

“I saw the Shinganshina Titans train and it was out of this world,” Levi replied. 

Mike’s eyes lit up in excitement. “Really? Man, they’re so good, they’re the best university team.” 

“Yeah,” Levi agreed. 

“Didn’t you win a scholarship there?” 

Levi nodded as a grin found place on his face. 

“I’m so jealous,” Mike replied. “I’m going to Mitras University, they’re pretty good too.” 

“I can’t wait to kick your ass next year,” Levi said with a challenging smirk. 

“You? _I_ am going to kick yours,” his teammate replied with the same look on his face. 

“I’ll look forward to it.” 

They rested for a few more minutes before the coach called them to go back to training. 

By the time the workout finished, Levi was exhausted but also satisfied of the progress he felt he had made. Eren was waiting for him inside the locker room, already changed and with his bags packet. He smiled at him and Levi quickly showered and changed to be with him. 

Once he was ready, they left the school together and headed in Eren’s house direction as it was the furthest from the school. 

“How was training today?” Eren asked while they walked hand in hand. 

“Tiring but good,” Levi replied. “Yours?” 

“Not bad, I scored a few goals against Jean’s team.” 

“Not bad at all,” Levi grinned. 

“It was so cold though; my hands were freezing even if I had the gloves.” 

“I don’t envy you for that,” Levi honestly replied; training outside in such a cold weather wasn’t on his bucket list. 

Eren smiled and they kept walking in silence, passing by the usual shops and leaving the busy centre behind. 

“I suppose now it’s time to talk about what happened with my father,” Eren said after a moment. 

“Only if you want to,” Levi replied. 

“He didn’t even look at us,” Eren scoffed. “I don’t even know why I was surprised, maybe I thought he would feel sorry for leaving like that, but he wasn’t. He just asked my mom how much money she needs and then left without saying a word to me or Mikasa.” 

“What an asshole,” Levi blurted out. 

“He really is,” Eren agreed. “I’ve already accepted his absence and thankfully, I’m not going to see him anymore.” 

“You can never know, maybe in ten years he’ll come back to you and ask for your forgiveness.” 

“Let’s make it twenty years and I’ll think about it.” 

Levi smiled at him, pleased to see that the anger had faded away from his tone and he hoped Eren’s family could have a bit of peace now. 

As they walked Levi couldn’t help but think about his own family and the unexpected developments in the relationship with his uncle and that’s when the incident from Saturday came to his mind. 

“Do you want to know something that it’s either going to amuse you or make you shit in your pants?” he asked Eren. 

The boy turned towards him with a curious smile on his lips. “Okay.” 

“My uncle caught us.” 

The smile fell from Eren’s lips and he stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, staring at Levi with wide eyes. 

“How was that supposed to amuse me?” he said. “How did it happen? What did he say?” 

“He was in the kitchen when we said goodbye,” Levi explained. 

“Oh my God, that must have been so embarrassing,” Eren replied as they started to talk again. 

“No joke, I wanted to disappear from this universe.” 

“What happened next?” Eren anxiously asked. 

“I tried to play it cool, but he didn’t buy it,” Levi said. “He still told me to tell my _friend_ he can stay over as much as he likes.” 

“No, he didn’t,” Eren replied, half amused, half terrified. 

“He did.” 

“What a Saturday!” Eren exclaimed. “I might take him up on his offer, though.” 

“I had no doubts,” Levi smirked. 

Eren smiled at him and pulled him closer, wrapping an arm around his waist and kissing his hair as they walked. Levi’s cheeks heated up at the tender gesture and he encircled Eren’s waist as well, squeezing his hip as he leaned against him. 

They had almost arrived at Eren’s house when they both unconsciously slowed down their pace, trying to steal as much time as possible. The day had gone by too quickly and between classes and training, they hadn’t been able to be together as much as they would have liked. All Levi wanted in that moment was to hide somewhere with Eren and simply hold each other, kissing and cuddling for hours on end. Unfortunately, they had reached their destination and the noises coming from inside told them that the house wasn’t empty. 

They still didn’t part, though, and Eren took Levi’s face in his hands, slowly kissing his lips. Levi let his senses be carried away by Eren’s touch, hugging him tightly as neither of them wanted to let the other go. When the kiss eventually broke, Levi stood on his toes and kissed Eren once more before leaving. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As I always remind you, kudos and comments are super appreciated <3  
> [ My Tumblr ](https://rachel--exe.tumblr.com/)  
> P.s. I always forget to say this, but if you see unforgivable mistakes, please let me know as the idea of publishing something full of errors haunts my dreams every night!


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello! This chapter is a bit longer than usual, but I didn't want to cut anything out, I think it's good as it is, so I hope you won't mind :)  
> Thanks for reading!

As the days passed, Levi returned to his old routine, splitting his time between basketball and Eren when he wasn’t at school. Day after day, he worked hard to get back into shape and his dedication had repaid him as he was in the starting lineup once again. Things with Eren were going particularly well and after his confession, Levi felt closer to him than before. There were still moments when he preferred to deal with things by himself before telling Eren, when he didn’t want to share useless worries with him and slipped back into his old habit of closing himself off, but he didn’t think it was undermining their relationship.

The two of them still spent a lot of time at Levi’s house, but ever since that fateful morning, Levi was extra careful and didn’t let Eren stay until late or often went on dates outside the house with him. His uncle was slowly but surely trying to be more present in his life. He went back home earlier than usual most nights and at least twice a week Levi saw him in the mornings as well. They never talked for too long and it was mostly about Levi’s school life, but Kenny seemed to care more than before. 

Levi was still wondering what his deal was but having left behind all his grudge against him years ago, he wasn’t too concerned about it and honestly replied to his questions. There were things he wanted to ask as well as he wanted to know more about his mother, but to do that he would have needed more than the two minutes they usually spent talking. 

Surprisingly, he had more movie nights with his friends than before, and he suspected it was because Hange wanted to make the most of the time they still had together, but also because they were blowing the whole Moblit thing out of proportion. 

Despite the talk they had with Levi, Hange was still worrying about it, throwing hypothetical ifs at Levi and Erwin and constantly asking them for advice. Setting the date with Moblit so far ahead didn’t help Hange to calm their nerves, it only made them more anxious, so much so that Levi saw them purposefully avoid the boy more than once. Levi bore all this with a patience he didn’t think he had, but he often reminded himself of all the time he had spent worrying about telling Eren he loved him, so he wasn’t in any position to judge his friend. 

As Valentine’s Day approached, Hange started to plan the date. They were supposed to give Eren and Levi a ride and then meet with Moblit at a diner for lunch as it was on a Sunday. Levi had already accepted his fate and consoled himself with the idea of spending time with Eren. The boy was more excited than he was about the situation, claiming that Moblit would be the one feeling more out place since they all knew each other while he had never properly talked to the two of them. 

Levi didn’t have anything against Moblit himself, it was just the fact of going out for lunch with a complete stranger that made him uncomfortable, but if that meant helping his friend, he would have endured it as he did with most social situations. 

It was with this mindset that Levi got himself ready on Valentine’s Day, cleaning the house before showering and dressing himself up. Even if it was still cold outside, he opted to wear a nice button-up blue shirt with a pair of black jeans and his every day shoes as he didn’t own more elegant ones. He styled his newly washed hair in the usual middle parting and took wallet and phone with him before heading downstairs. He put the two objects inside the pockets of the coat hung next to the door and as he was about to check if there was anything out of place in the rest of the house, the doorbell rang. 

It was Eren, looking as godlike as always with his hair tied in a bun, cheeks flushed from the cold air and bright smile. He was wearing a black coat on top of his outfit, so Levi could see only his blue jeans that nicely clung to his thighs and the black shoes on his feet. Levi’s heart fluttered at the vision and his mouth curved into a smile as the boy greeted him. 

“Hi, babe.” 

“Hi,” Levi replied. “Come in, Hange shouldn’t be here for another few minutes.” 

“I know,” Eren grinned and closing the door behind him, he took Levi’s face between his hands and kissed him. 

Levi accepted the kiss like a starving man, relishing in the feeling of Eren’s lips on his own and of Eren’s cold hands on his heated cheeks. He wrapped his arms around Eren’s middle and tilted his head to kiss the boy better, nibbling his lips but never going past them. 

Eren smiled against his lips and pushed Levi towards the wall, letting his hands fall from Levi’s cheeks to travel down his body. The touch sent shivers down Levi’s spine, a surging need for more rising in him and he opened his mouth to let Eren in. Eren slid his tongue past his lips, licking the roof of Levi’s mouth so lightly that it tickled before mapping the rest of his walls.

Levi moaned as Eren kept kissing him, tongues gliding together and hands grasping his coat. Kissing Eren was as overwhelming as always and Levi soon found himself wishing they didn’t have to go anywhere, that they could just spend the day in bed, tangled around each other with their bodies pressed close together. 

Reality hit him a lot sooner than he would have liked, and the sound of a horn echoed outside, signalling Hange had arrived. Levi grunted, partially in annoyance and partially because of Eren’s tongue tracing his mouth one last time before breaking their kiss. Eren’s lips were red and swollen, mirroring Levi’s own and both their breaths were laboured. 

“Happy Valentine’s Day,” Eren said, pecking Levi’s lips again. 

“I knew you’d say that,” Levi retorted. “You’re cheesy like that.” 

“What’s wrong with it? I know you secretly like it.” 

Levi glared at him, doing a poor job at hiding his grin and removed his coat from the hanger before going outside. Eren followed him and after locking the door, they headed towards Hange’s car where Levi sat in the passenger seat while Eren sat behind him. 

After greeting each other, Hange got into the lane and drove towards the diner. It was on the outsides of town, so Levi had to brace himself for a quarter of an hour as Hange drove more wildly than usual due to their nerves. 

“How do I look?” they asked, finally breaking the silence that had reigned since they had driven off from Levi’s. 

Levi gave them a once over, noticing for the first time their outfit. They were wearing brown pants, a white shirt with a blue cardigan over it and what seemed to be black boots. 

“Decent,” he commented. 

“I’ll take that as a compliment.” 

“You look really nice,” Eren said from the back. 

“Thanks, Eren,” Hange smiled at him. “I’m quite nervous, I think I’m starting to sweat.” 

“I can tell,” Levi said, holding on to the handle as his friend made a sharp turn. 

“Do I smell?” Hange asked with a hint of panic in their voice. 

“No, but your driving skills are worse than usual,” Levi explained. “Calm down, no one’s going to kill you today.” 

“Levi’s right,” Eren beckoned. “If anything bad happens we’re here to help you.” 

“Thanks, guys. I appreciate it.” 

“I’d appreciate if you could slow down a bit,” Levi told them as they got dangerously close to the car in front of them. 

“Sorry,” Hange said and lifted their foot from the accelerator. 

By the time they arrived at the diner, Levi had seen his life flash before his eyes more times than he would have liked, but both Hange and Eren just laughed it off. There weren’t many cars in the parking lot, so they easily found a space in front of the building. As they parked Levi noticed a guy waiting next to the front door that slowly made his way towards them as they got out of the car. He was wearing brown pants and a white sweater with dark grey shoes, almost matching Hange’s outfit. 

“Hello, everyone,” Moblit greeted them. 

“Hi,” Hange said, fumbling with the keys to lock the car and almost dropping them. “These are Levi and Eren, in case you don’t remember them.” 

“Yes, I remember them, hello.” 

After the greetings, the four of them went inside the diner. It was different from the one near Levi’s place, it looked more modern with white tables and light blue chairs. There were paintings with abstract art on the walls and big, green plants in the corners. Right in front of the door there was the counter and behind that an open window that looked into the kitchen. As Levi took in the environment, a familiar face appeared behind the window to put two plates on the windowsill. 

“Oh, shit,” he said as his eyes widened in horror and was about to hide behind Eren when his uncle’s eyes fell on him. He looked as surprised as Levi, but he still raised a hand to acknowledge him and Levi did the same. 

“Do you know the cook?” Eren asked, furrowing his brow. 

“That’s my uncle,” Levi muttered. 

“Really?” Eren retorted, looking towards the kitchen, but the man was already gone. 

“Was that seriously the mysterious uncle?” Hange asked. “Well, he did have the same scary aura around him as you.” 

Levi glared at them. “Let’s go sit somewhere,” he said, thinking to himself that the date was off to a bad start. 

They sat in one of the booths towards the end, Hange and Moblit on the side facing the back of the diner while Eren and Levi on the one facing the entrance. From his position Levi could occasionally see his uncle’s hands putting out the dishes for the customers, but luckily nothing more. 

“Here are the menus, I’ll come back when you’re ready to order,” the waitress said, handing them four pieces of paper with the list of foods on them. 

They all looked through them and Levi could already feel the silence stretch for too long, to the point of becoming awkward. He focused on the list in front of him, pretending everyone was simply busy choosing their food and glancing at the other three only every five seconds. Eren and Moblit seemed genuinely focused on the menu while Hange was fidgeting in their seat, turning the small page over and over again. 

“Do you know what you’re having?” Eren asked, turning towards Levi. 

“Not yet,” Levi replied; he had been so focused on the atmosphere that he had forgotten to look at the menu. “You?” 

“I’m having a burger with fries.” 

“Sounds good,” Levi said. 

By the time the waitress arrived, they were all ready to order. This gave them the opportunity to break the silence, but when the girl went away, it stretched once again, and everyone was looking anywhere but the people in front of them. 

“So, Moblit, how did you and Hange meet?” Eren finally said. “I don’t think you told us at the Christmas party.” 

“I went to their tutoring hours because I had some problems with biology,” Moblit replied. 

“I feel you, it can be very complicated sometimes,” Eren agreed. “Thankfully, one of my friends is very good at it, so I always have someone to ask.” 

“Erwin’s boyfriend, Armin,” Hange supplied. 

“Yes, I remember him,” Moblit smiled. 

“Are you a senior as well?” Eren asked him. 

“No, I’m a junior.” 

“So both of us will be left behind by our partners next year.” 

“It’s nothing like that,” Hange was quick to correct him with a panicked expression. 

“Yet,” Moblit added in a low voice that was heard by everyone. 

Levi was split between amusement and embarrassment at seeing those two idiots tip-toeing around each other. 

“We’ll be back often,” he said with a grin. 

“Where are you going to college?” Moblit asked him with his ears still a bit red. 

“Shinganshina University.” 

“That’s pretty far, but I’ve heard it’s a good college.” 

“It is and their basketball team is really strong,” Levi said. He didn’t know if Moblit was into sports, but anything would have helped to keep the conversation going. 

“Don’t you play in the school team?” 

“Yes.” 

“That must be nice then,” Moblit said. “I’m not really into sports.” 

“Hange wasn’t either before they came to my games,” Levi retorted. “You could come with them if you want next time.” 

Moblit looked at Hange sat next to him, but they didn’t seem to notice his gaze, or pretended not to see it. 

“Maybe,” he said. 

“I still don’t know where you’re going next year, Hange,” Eren said. 

“Stohess University,” they replied. “They have a good biology program.” 

“Nice.” 

Silence fell on them again, but this time it felt less awkward; they had broken the ice and the tension had vanished, leaving a sense of ease even when no one spoke. Their food and drinks arrived soon after and everyone was eager to dig into it. 

“This is really good,” Eren commented after taking a bite of his burger. 

“Isn’t your uncle the cook?” Moblit asked Levi. 

“It is,” Levi replied. 

“You’re so lucky to have someone that cooks so well at home.” 

“Aren’t I?” Levi retorted, but didn’t mention the fact that this was the first time he had ever eaten something cooked by Kenny. 

Despite this being their first date, Hange still had the bad habit of eating messily and more often than not their napkin fell on the space between their and Moblit’s seat or pieces of salad landed out of their plate. Moblit didn’t seem to mind it, though, and always picked up Hange’s napkin and casually moved away the food that fell next to his plate. 

“Thanks,” Hange said after the guy had put the napkin back on the table for the tenth time. 

“It’s okay,” he smiled and Hange actually blushed at the kind expression. 

Levi rolled his eyes. They were so obviously into each other, but one was too busy worrying while the other was too nice to be just a bit pushy that if someone didn’t do something soon, they would remain like that until it was too late. 

“Have you ever had a romantic partner, Moblit?” he casually asked. 

Hange almost chocked on their burger and Moblit look at Levi with his mouth half open, but Eren just chuckled beside him. 

“Not really,” Moblit replied. “Everyone I’ve liked before was either too frivolous or too self-centred that I lost interest after a few days.” 

“I see,” Levi retorted, exchanging an eloquent glance with Hange. 

“It was the same for me before Levi,” Eren said. “You just need to find the person that lights the sparkle inside you.” 

“I already did,” Moblit replied with such a sure tone that Levi had no more doubts about his feelings towards Hange. 

“But what if this hypothetical person was scared of the future?” Hange finally spoke up. 

“I’ll tell them that two heads worrying about it come up with better solutions than one.” 

Hange looked at him for the first time since they had sat down. There were still obvious doubts on their face, but in their eyes there was hope and maybe even a bit of trust. Moblit gently smiled at them and was rewarded by a similar gesture from Hange. 

They all went back to eating as if nothing had happened, but the atmosphere was lighter and Hange soon went back to being their usual self, bickering with Levi and throwing glances at the boy sat next to them. Levi knew they were still going over possible heart-breaking scenarios in their head, but he hoped that Moblit’s comment had cleared some of them and that now they were more keen to actually give him a chance without expecting to be breaking up after just one day. 

The more the clock ticked, the more Hange and Moblit started to talk only between themselves, whether it was about the structure of the earth or other things that made them both blush, Levi and Eren felt more and more excluded by them. They remained to eat a dessert before deciding that they were officially intruding and opted to leave the two alone. 

“Eren and I are going home,” Levi announced, standing up from his seat. 

“Already?” Hange replied. 

“It’s better if we give you love birds some space.” 

“But you don’t have a car,” they protested. 

“We’ll walk,” Levi said. “I’ll pay our share before leaving.” 

“Okay.” 

Eren and Levi left not without noticing the grateful look in Moblit’s eyes. They stopped at the counter to pay their lunch, but before either of them could say anything, Levi’s uncle popped up from behind the window. 

“Don’t worry about it, Levi,” he said. “It’s on me.” 

Levi looked at him dumbfounded as he had been so caught up in Hange’s love life that he had almost forgotten his presence, but Eren spoke up. 

“I can pay for myself,” he offered. 

“It’s fine, kid. You just make sure to treat Levi right.” 

“I will,” Eren replied with a smile so bright that could compete with the sun while Levi just wanted to disappear from the earth after his uncle’s comment. 

Kenny nodded in approval. “I’ll come back late today as well, Levi,” he told his nephew. 

“Okay,” Levi replied. “Bye.” 

“Goodbye, Mr. Ackerman,” Eren said. 

“Bye,” Kenny replied, grinning to himself. 

As soon as the door closed behind them, Eren turned towards Levi. 

“Your uncle doesn’t seem half bad,” he said. “It’s true that he has a scary aura around him, but he seemed nice.” 

“I’m as surprised as you are,” Levi honestly replied. 

They started the long walk towards Levi’s house, exploring a part of the city Levi had rarely been to. He still remembered the way from the morning, so there was no risk of them getting lost. There weren’t many houses around, it was mostly green trees swaying in the wind and rare wild flowers that braved the cold air. 

It took them more than half an hour to get home and no words were exchanged as Eren followed Levi inside, both freezing. 

“It’s on days like this that I regret not having a driving licence,” Levi said as he hung his coat. “Do you want something warm to drink?” 

“God, yes,” Eren replied, rubbing his hands together. 

Levi was quick to make them some tea that they drank while sitting on the sofa under some blankets. They quietly enjoyed the warmth spreading through their bodies and the heat of the other. It was comfortable and intimate; a feeling Levi hadn’t known before Eren. 

The quietness didn’t last too long, though, and Levi wasn’t even halfway through his tea when Eren placed a kiss on his neck, lips warm from the beverage. 

“Eren,” Levi breathed out as the boy continued to leave kisses on his skin. “Is this why you followed me inside?” 

“Maybe,” Eren whispered next to his ear. 

“Mmh,” Levi hummed and closed his eyes while Eren kissed him behind his ear. 

“Your uncle said he’d be coming home late.” 

“I think he gave us his blessing.” 

“So have I convinced you?” Eren murmured, moving his lips away to look at Levi. 

“I never said I was against it,” Levi smirked and pulled Eren in for a proper kiss. 

Eren’s lips still tasted of the tea he had just drank, warm and inviting as they pressed on Levi’s with the same eagerness of the morning. They were soon parting, so tempting that Levi couldn’t say no. He pushed his tongue inside, licking Eren’s mouth as he had done before in the day. 

He moved his hands to tangle them in Eren’s hair but became aware of the mug he was still holding and regretfully broke the kiss to put it down. After doing that, Eren pushed him down on the sofa, his lips again on Levi’s before moving down his neck. 

“You still haven’t convinced me to do it on the sofa,” Levi said in a voice that already started to get croaky. 

Eren chuckled and with a final kiss on Levi’s jaw, he stood up. 

“One of these days I will,” he said. 

Levi grinned and got up from the sofa as well. “We’ll see,” he retorted and kissed Eren’s lips, before heading upstairs. 

They arrived in Levi’s bedroom in a tangle of limbs and with lips happily searching for each other. Compared to their first time, there was no nervousness and Levi was more relaxed as Eren undressed him, his light touch caressing his shoulders as the boy removed his shirt, letting it slide on the floor before kissing Levi’s chest. 

Levi welcomed the soft touch that never failed to warm him up inside and let his hands travel up Eren’s back, bringing the white sweater he was wearing up with them until he completely removed it and Eren’s skin was pressing on his own. 

Eren gently guided him towards the bed where Levi lay down and then crawled on top of him. Their lips met again, and this time Levi was free to tangle his hands in Eren’s hair, undoing the bun and feeling the soft texture between his fingers, the sweet scent of Eren’s shampoo filling his nostrils. 

He still kept his hands in Eren’s hair even when the boy started to kiss him down his chest, quickly reaching the hem of Levi’s jeans that were doing a poor job at hiding the evident bulge underneath. Eren glanced up at Levi before undoing the buttons and pulling down the jeans, not bothering with completely removing them. He mouthed Levi’s erection through the boxers, nuzzling the fabric while his hands reached under it to caress Levi’s hipbones. 

Levi sucked in a breath as Eren finally pushed down his underwear and shut his eyes when Eren’s tongue circled his head. His legs tensed while Eren’s hot mouth closed around him and a shaky moan left his lips as Eren took him deeper, leaving him breathless. He cracked his eyes open to see Eren’s head bob up and down as he sucked him, licking all the spots that made Levi’s body feel light and turn his brain to mush. 

Eren slowly pulled him out of his mouth, circling the head of his cock once more before his eyes met Levi’s. They were blown wide and shining with a need that cut right through Levi and that aroused him even more. He could see Eren wanted him in the same way, the desire that made both his heart and cock throb because he knew Eren didn’t want just his body, he wanted all of him. 

Levi urged Eren towards his lips, crashing their mouths together as his hands went to undo Eren’s own jeans. They were off in a matter of seconds and with them went Levi’s own, leaving them both naked in front of each other, both cocks hard and oozing pre-come. 

Levi took the condoms and the lube from the bedside table and handed them to Eren. The boy took them from his hand, but before Levi could retreat it, he held his wrist and kissed it. 

“I love you,” he said. 

Levi sat up and kissed him. “Me too.” 

Eren smiled and gently pushed Levi on the bed again, spreading his legs as he opened the bottle of lube and poured some on his fingers. He worked him open, thrusting and scissoring Levi’s hole while his mouth sucked bruises on his thighs. Every touch made Levi come undone, taking apart his rationality and decidedly taking control over his thoughts. His whole body was shaken by waves of pleasure every time Eren found his prostate and lightly massaged it, taking Levi on the edge before retreating. 

By the time Eren removed his fingers, Levi couldn’t wait any longer and urged him inside, digging his nails in Eren’s ass as he slowly thrust inside. Eren was still careful, letting Levi adjust before continuing his movements, panting as he did so. When he finally bottomed out, his intakes of breath were sharp, and his eyelids were partially closed. 

Levi wrapped his hands around his shoulders and kissed him, dragging his tongue on Eren’s bottom lip and rolling it in his mouth as he relaxed around him even more. Eren moaned while Levi traced the insides of his mouth, tickling the roof as Eren had done in the morning. His arms trembled and his legs started to shake as the effort of staying still was taking a toll on him. 

Levi was the first to move, gently rocking his hips as with a final kiss he left Eren’s mouth. 

“Ah, Levi,” Eren panted; his own hips started to move, and he pulled out of Levi before thrusting back in. 

Levi groaned as Eren slid in and out of him in a motion that took him apart. Every thrust was harder than the previous, but it wasn’t enough for Levi. He wanted, needed Eren to fuck him harder, faster until he couldn’t tell where his body finished and where Eren’s started, until there was only them, making love to each other. 

This time Eren was fast to find his prostate and Levi’s back arched from the bed as he did so, a high-pitched moan leaving his lips. Eren soon covered his mouth and drank up the sounds that were coming from him. They were both panting and out of breath, so the kiss didn’t last long, and their grunts and moans echoed in the room once again. 

Eren continued to thrust right in that spot, taking Levi closer to his orgasm. A heat was coiling in his belly, but his mind refused to give in. He wanted to feel Eren inside of him, his hard cock fucking his brains out and his name coming out from his mouth in such a raspy and needy voice, but he knew he couldn’t last for long. 

“Eren…”

Levi didn’t know if it was a warning or a plea for release. Holding back was getting harder and harder and with each thrust Eren was pushing him closer to edge. Their eyes met and Levi could see the same battle in Eren’s, the need to prolong the moment forever and the ache to come. 

Levi pulled him in for a kiss while his hand went between their moving bodies to stroke his own cock. It only took him a few strokes before he was clenching his walls around Eren and came hard enough for his vision to blurry. Eren fucked him through his orgasm and then released himself, crying Levi’s name as he did so. After his release, Eren pulled out of Levi, lying on his side before removing the condom and placing it on top of the opened tinfoil on the floor. 

They remained on the bed to regain their breath, eyes closed and chest heaving with always more regularity. 

“That was amazing,” Eren said first. 

“Yeah.” 

They didn’t move until the sweat on their skin started to dry and chills were running down their bodies. Levi’s cum on his own chest was also drying, disgusting him to no end, so he decided that tired or not, he needed to wash himself. 

“Bathroom,” he mumbled, leaving Eren on the bed as he went away. 

When he came back, clean but still sore, Eren was lightly snoring on his bed, still naked and with his hair falling on his face. His chest tightened and he remained to look at the boy in front of him, a beauty to behold all for his own. 

As he was staring, Eren’s eyes opened and his mouth morphed into a smirk. 

“Like what you see?” 

Levi averted his eyes and finally moved from the door frame. 

“You better shower before catching a cold,” he replied, but didn’t deny the statement. 

Eren grumpily stood up and headed for the bathroom, kissing Levi before leaving. While he waited for him to be done, Levi changed the bed sheets and prepared a clean pair of sweatpants and a T-shirt for Eren. He threw away the used condom and put the unused ones away with the lube. 

He was about to get back into bed when Eren came back into room only in his boxers and with his hair tied in a bun once again. 

“I got some clean clothes for you,” Levi said, indicting the things on the desk. 

“Thanks, babe,” Eren smiled and put them on without mentioning the fact that they were too tight and too short for him. 

They crawled back in bed, Eren with his back almost touching the wall and Levi with his legs barely covered by the blankets, but no one complained as the small bed felt cosier and allowed them to be close. 

“Moblit seems like a nice guy,” Eren said. 

“Yeah.” 

“Do you think we helped them or made things worse?” 

“I’d say we helped,” Levi replied. “Hange was really worried about today.” 

“I could tell. I hope things will be better now.” 

“I’m sure they will.” 

“Today reminded me of our first date,” Eren said, kissing Levi’s neck. 

“Yeah, the drive was equally dangerous,” Levi smiled. 

“I was really careful,” Eren retorted. “I had a precious cargo on.” 

Levi didn’t reply as a now too familiar heat spread on his cheeks. 

“I’ve loved every day with you ever since,” Eren whispered, kissing Levi’s neck again. 

Levi’s face was positively on fire and his heart pounded in his chest. “Me too,” he said, turning his head to kiss Eren’s lips. 

Eren hugged him tighter, plastering Levi’s back to his chest as their legs tangled together so that every inch of their bodies was touching the other. When their lips parted, no more words were exchanged, only tender smiles, and both of them relished in the heat spreading between them that lulled them to sleep. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is highly appreciated and as always, you can find me on [ Tumblr ](https://rachel--exe.tumblr.com/) :)


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! I'm going to be straight with you: there's angst in this chapter, but please don't be too hard on me nor on Levi and trust that the situation will be solved soon. I don't have much else to say, so enjoy...?

After the Valentine’s date, Moblit became a stable member of Levi’s group of friends. He always joined them for lunch and he even participated in the movie nights they organised at Erwin’s. For the majority of the time he was looking after Hange, picking their things up and bringing them the books or notebooks that they inevitably left behind in some classroom. Hange had gone back to their usual self and even if from time to time Levi could see the worry in their eyes, he was positive they were now looking at the brighter side of things.

Hange had dragged Moblit to some of Levi’s and Erwin’s games and he had been interested enough to look up the rules of both basketball and soccer and now, almost a month later, he was as much of an expert as Levi and Erwin themselves. Both teams were competing for the first place in their respective leagues and with the end of the season so near, it was fundamental they continued to win. 

With few exceptions, Levi’s opponents hadn’t been impossibly strong, and all the team’s hard work had paid off, but their next game would be against the team of assholes that had broken Levi’s ankle and because of this, Levi was more on edge than usual. He still hadn’t forgiven nor forgotten the guy that had had the brilliant idea of landing on his foot and every time he thought about it, blood boiled in his veins. 

He tried to deal with his restlessness by himself as he had always done, calming himself down and drowning himself in basketball and training, but there was still a dark feeling in his guts, ready to jump at him whenever he thought about the game. Levi had never been one for revenge, mostly because he had never held a grudge against anyone; he usually avoided the people that annoyed him the most and chose the ones he surrounded himself with very carefully, but this time it was different. Because of his injury, he could have lost the scholarship for his university of choice and possibly the place in the team. He had had to skip a lot of the games and training sessions for over a month and had fallen behind because of it. 

Eren had sensed that something was going on inside of him, but Levi always dismissed him and forgot his problems by focusing on Eren’s life. Things in his family had settled down for good and his parents were now officially divorced. There hadn’t been many changes in Eren’s behaviour at the news and it was like he had forgotten all about the matter, but sometimes when he looked at Levi there was sadness in his eyes and Levi was quick to erase it with his touch. 

The game was being held in the other team’s school, so on Friday the basketball team drove there with the school bus. Levi wore his headphones for the whole journey and still kept them on as he changed into his uniform. Before meeting with the rest of his team, he sat on one of the benches in the locker room with his eyes closed, listening to music as he calmed his nerves and got into the right mindset. Other players were doing the same, so no one disturbed him during the ritual he did on rare occasions. 

Once he felt ready, Levi left the locker room and entered the gym just in time to do a brief warm up before entering the court. All his friends were sat on the stands and Levi’s eyes landed on Eren who was wearing the basketball sweater he had basically stolen from his house. Levi still thought it was extremely cheesy and half blushed, half rolled his eyes whenever he saw him with his sweater on, but in his train of thoughts he had completely disregarded the fact that he regularly wore Eren’s T-shirt at his soccer matches. 

“Come here, guys,” the coach called the team once they were all in the gym. 

They all formed a circle around the older man as they continued to stretch their muscles and warm up for the game, all of them with a focused fire in their eyes. 

“We already know these guys don’t play fair,” the man said. “But don’t let them get the best of you, focus on the schemes we’ve practiced and score as much as you can.” 

“Yes, sir,” echoed all the players. 

“Good. Now go and do your best.” 

The usual five entered the court while the rest of the players sat on the bench, ready to substitute them at any moment. The game started and as soon as the whistle blew, Levi was being strictly marked. He didn’t give it much thought and as per usual, he easily dribbled past the opponents, tossing the ball to his teammates and following up for the actions. 

The other team hadn’t improved much since the previous game, so Erd swiftly cut through their defence, throwing the ball to Mike under the hoop who jumped up and slammed the ball inside. The majority of the gym booed at them, but Levi was still able to hear the cheers of his friends under all that noise and it filled him with a new fire. 

He ran to the other side of the court, chasing the player that now had the ball and coming up behind him, he tried to steal the sphere from him, but it only resulted in him almost being elbowed in the face. He distanced himself a bit more, deciding to wait until his opponent would toss the ball to take it from him. Oluo backed him up and stopped the player from the front, so the guy was forced to bounce the ball onto the ground and send it to the other side of the court. 

The ball didn’t manage to get that far since Levi had anticipated the move and he caught it right when it was about to bounce off to the other player. He turned on his heels and crossed the court once again. Gunther was waiting for him, free from any marker and Levi tossed the ball to him. He was ready to continue in his run when he felt something holding him back and turning his head, he saw one of the opponents clutching his sweater, totally disregarding the rules. 

Levi glared at him and yanked himself free, but inside of him annoyance was starting to rise. He pushed those thoughts to the side and tried to clear his mind by focusing on the game in front of him. Gunther was almost inside the three-point arc, but a player had come to stop him, so he threw the ball to the other side of the court. Mike took it and jumped up before sending it inside the hoop and scoring again. 

The opponents were clearly pissed off and they targeted Levi’s team even more, pulling their sweaters and holding them back. The referee caught them a few times, but more often than not, they managed to avoid his attention. It didn’t come as much of a surprise to Levi as apparently the man had attended that high school back in his days and had even played in the same team. 

Levi’s patience was wearing thin, but he did his best not to let it get the best of him. He threw passes and scored as he usually did, focusing on being the backbone of his team as during any other game and ignoring the way the other team was playing. As long as it didn’t seriously threaten any of his teammates’ health, he was okay with letting it slide. They were scoring points and blocking the other team’s play and that was satisfying enough. 

During the break between the second and third quarter there was an unusual tension running through the team. They were used to face strong opponents and struggle to win the game, but none of them had been as disrespectful as these ones. 

“Let’s take a deep breath and calm down,” the coach said, beckoning for them to it. 

All the players did the exercise, slowing their breath and clearing their heads. The exercise worked very little for Levi who kept wiping away the sweat from his forehead and drink his water with the same anger clouding his mind. 

“The other team doesn’t play fair and the referee doesn’t seem to mind it,” the coach said. “But despite that we’re still winning, let’s not forget about that,” he continued, looking at each player in the eyes. “Your game is as good as always, try not to be so rash when tossing the ball, I know you’re eager to score but take it a bit slower. I know it sounds crazy to say this but be careful and don’t get injured.” 

“Yes, sir,” they all echoed. 

“I’m going to make some changes now, so you can get a break from that awful way of playing.” 

Erd and Oluo remained on the bench while Falco and Nicolo, two new members, took their places. Levi was throwing glances at the other bench to see if maybe the other coach was scolding the players or had a hard expression on his face, symbol of his disappointment for their behaviour, but it was nothing like that. He seemed to be inciting his players with a grin on his face and his requests were eagerly met by the team. 

Levi felt physically sick because of such behaviour. He knew what it meant to be desperate to win, but it had never crossed his mind to do it in such an unfair way. No victory that came that way could ever be considered as such and the three points on the league board could never be enough justification to put other people’s well-being into danger. 

The whistle blew and all the players were called back into the court. Levi placed his towel and bottle of water on the bench and joined his teammates. His eyes went to the stands and briefly met Eren’s. He had been so caught up in the game that he had almost forgotten about him but seeing him now calmed him down a lot more than the breathing exercise, even if the fire inside of him wasn’t put out yet; it was only dormant. 

The third quarter started with the home team in attack. Levi and his team marked all the players that were already nearing the free throw line. They weren’t fast enough, though, and their shot was blocked by Gunther that with a single hand stole the ball and started the counter attack. 

He crossed the court with a player constantly pulling his sweater until he tossed the ball to Falco. The newcomer easily took control of the sphere and dodged the elbow that was about to hit him in the ribs while continuing the attack. He gave the ball back to Gunther who was inside the three-point arc, ready to jump as soon as he got the ball. However, as he was about to that, he was pulled back by one of the opponents that, in a desperate attempt to stop his shot, had grabbed him by the sweater and held him back. 

There was no way the referee couldn’t see the foul that time and Levi’s team was granted with three free shots that Gunther sent straight into the hoop. The audience wasn’t pleased with the new points they had lost, and their boos grew louder and louder. The atmosphere felt heavy and Levi got more irritated as time went by. 

His play got more restless and his mind was clouded by the pure anger that directed his movements. He grinned with satisfaction every time he managed to steal the ball and was getting particularly pissed off by the same player that had caused his injury. He had entered the court right after the break and seemed to still remember Levi and the way he had landed on him in their previous encounter as he often tried to do the same this time as well. 

It didn’t come as a surprise to Levi when the coach substituted him. Their rivalry was getting more heated as the clock ticked by and Levi himself felt like he was about to do something rush at any moment. On his way to the bench, he saw the player snicker at him, and he threw him the most murderous glare he could form in that moment, which wasn’t very hard to do considering his mindset. 

“Sit down for a while, Levi,” the coach told him. “Don’t let him get to your head.” 

Levi nodded and sat on the bench, wiping his face with the towel and looking at the game. Floch had taken his place and was being targeted as soon as he touched the ball. Levi was still amazed by the fact that no one protested for the foul plays and even if some of his teammates did, the referee didn’t seem to care too much and called the foul only when it was as clear as the sky on a sunny day. 

Levi saw his teammates being held back by hands that grabbed their clothes and legs that tried to make them trip. On their faces there was the same frustration and anger as on Levi’s and they didn’t do anything to hide it. In the back of his mind, Levi knew they were supposed to be superior and let the skirmish die down; in the end they were still winning by a lot of points, but part of him wanted to give those assholes a lesson they would never forget. 

That thought was still on his mind when he entered the court again during the fourth quarter. There were less than ten minutes left before the end of the game and it would have taken a miracle for the opponents to win. With every point Levi’s ego grew bigger and bigger and the other team got angrier. Their fouls weren’t as subtle as before and it was like they had made it their mission to injure some of them. 

Levi had been able to avoid their attempts more times than he could count, and he was now tossing the ball to Nicolo in order to score again. The toss was too fast for the boy who lost the ball and was left behind as one of the players from the other team ran ahead of him. Levi immediately turned around, chasing his designated player and preventing him from getting the ball. 

The sphere went from one side of the court to the other, ending up in the hands of the boy Levi was marking. His grip was loose and too wide, so it would have been a joke for Levi to steal the ball. He reached out, slightly bending forward to get the object when an elbow hit him right in the face. He stopped in his tracks as blood trickled down his nose and on his hand and that’s when something clicked inside of him. 

His fury got the best of him and he stomped through the court until he reached the player that had hit him. He grabbed him by his shoulder to make him turn and then punched him in the face, making his nose bleed as well. All the frustration for the game and the anger for the injury in the first semester were enclosed in that closed fist, but it didn’t free him from them. It only made things worse as everyone ran to him, some to stop him, others to hit him in return until the referee intervened and expelled both players from the court. 

It happened all so fast, Levi couldn’t believe what he had done. He was already regretting his gesture and went to the lockers to hide from the eyes of the people in the gym. He sat on one of the benches, pulling his hair out, uncaring of the blood still running down his nose. Shame and disappointment were the only things he felt. It wasn’t like him to lose his composure like that, but for a moment he hadn’t been able to hold back, and his hard feelings had overflown. 

He was still sat like that when a few seconds later the door opened. 

“Levi,” Eren exclaimed, running to him with a worried expression. 

Startled, Levi snapped his head to the side, but for the first time since they had started dating, he didn’t want to see Eren. He wanted to be alone and face the consequences of his gesture by himself, so like he had often done in the past, he hid behind the walls around his heart, closing himself off from anyone, even from Eren and retreated within himself. 

“I’m fine,” he said. “You can go back.” 

“Your nose is still bleeding, and we have to talk about what happened,” Eren replied, standing next to him. 

“We don’t and I can take care of the nose myself.” 

“I want to help you,” Eren said, a confused frown on his face. 

“I can do it myself,” Levi replied in a hard tone. 

“Why aren’t you letting me help you?” 

“I don’t need your help.” 

It was the worst thing he could have said as a hurt expression appeared on Eren’s face and his voice was trembling when he muttered a weak, “okay,” before leaving. 

Levi sank on the bench, pulling his hair out, but no amount of physical pain could have compared to the emotional one. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are appreciated :)  
> You can send me anonymous hate for this chapter on [ Tumblr ](https://rachel--exe.tumblr.com/).


	28. Chapter 28

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! First of all, thank you for all the comments you left on the last chapter, I don't think I've ever received so many, I should probably write more angst in the future lmao!  
> I really hope this chapter is okay, I have a few doubts to be honest, but maybe it's because I've read it so many times words don't make sense to me anymore, so please let me know what you think about it :)  
> Enjoy!

When the first rays of sunshine entered through the blinds, Levi realised he still had to fall asleep. The hurt expression on Eren’s face when he had left was painted behind his eyelids and the pained tone of his voice was constantly ringing in his ears, making it impossible to even think about sleeping. His stomach was turned into a knot and all he could feel was shame and guilt.

The way back home from the game had been pure torture, not because his teammates had reproached him and not even his coach had been very sorry about what had happened, but because they were all trying to reassure him, telling him that they would have done the same in his position. In that moment, the punch had been the last thing on his mind and the words he had said to Eren were tormenting him, gnawing at him from the inside. No one knew about what had happened in the lockers between him and Eren, not even his friends he suspected, so nothing other people said could have made him feel better about it. 

When he had arrived back home, he had tried calling Eren a few times to apologise, but the boy hadn’t answered. He couldn’t blame him, he had been an ass to him. Again. The situation was too similar to when he had sprained his ankle and hadn’t picked up Eren’s calls. He had withdrawn into himself once again, pushed everyone away and tried to deal with things by himself. 

Before meeting Eren, it had all worked just fine. He had never had someone as involved in his life as Eren was and no one had been as important as him, so hiding away to solve his problems alone had never been an issue, but now everything had changed. There was someone that was there for him during the bad moments, that wanted to be there and help him, yet Levi couldn’t help but hide again. 

He didn’t know the basics about sharing his problems with someone else and his brain kept using the old patterns of closing himself off until everything was perfectly fine. It had been easy in the past, but now it wasn’t anymore because he cared about Eren more than anyone else and he had hurt his feelings with his behaviour. 

Levi thought back to all the moments he had spent with Eren, all the things they had shared together, all the times Eren had trusted him and showed him he could be trusted in return. The majority of them were happy memories and they hurt more than the bruise on his nose. 

Had nothing changed in him? Had all the time spent with Eren taught him anything? Hadn’t Eren shown him what it meant to trust, to lean on someone to face the hardships of life? Hange had told him that being with Eren had changed him, but had it? It certainly didn’t look like it. 

He couldn’t accept it, though. He recognised his mistake and understood it would be only the first of a long series if he didn’t do something about it. He didn’t care about the rest of the world, but he didn’t want to push away the people that mattered the most to him and lose them for his inability to open up. He didn’t want to be his old self anymore and was willing make an effort, no matter how hard or embarrassing for him, he would do it. Nothing was worse than losing Eren. 

He got out of bed and headed to the bathroom to wash himself. He fixed his hair, messy from pulling it and grimaced at the purple bruise on his nose. It hurt and it probably wasn’t going to go away soon, but he accepted it as a visible sign of his mistake. 

It was already midmorning, but Levi wasn’t hungry, nor did he want to waste any more time. He hadn’t changed from the night before, so he only had to put on his coat and shoes before leaving the house and walking at a brisk pace to his destination. There were cars on the road and people walking beside him, but his mind wasn’t registering any of that, it was focused on the fear mixed with hope that was driving him to Eren’s house. 

His stomach was full of nervous butterflies, but this wasn’t the time to get cold feet and keep everything he was feeling inside if he wanted to get Eren back. He wasn’t expecting the boy to forgive him soon, but he hoped he would listen to his apologies. 

He passed by all the shops and cafes he always saw on the way to Eren’s and they brought back more memories of the times they had walked home together after school, all the things they had whispered to each other and the laughs they had shared over the silliest things. It all hurt him, but at the same time it spurred him on. 

When he reached Eren’s house, his palms were sweating, and his breathing was uneven. He took a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself down and then went past the white fence. For a brief moment the thought of someone else other than Eren answering the door crossed his mind and he wondered what Eren had old his family, but he pushed the thought to the side and rang the bell anyway. 

The few seconds he had to wait were the longest of his life, but then he finally heard footsteps and the door opened. 

It was Eren, seemingly ready to head out and with a sports bag on his shoulder. He looked surprised at first, but then his face became a blank page and Levi couldn’t tell what he was thinking anymore, but he suspected nothing pleasant. 

“Hi,” Levi said. 

“Hi,” Eren replied; his tone was cold, and his face didn’t open up into his usual smile. 

“Do you have a minute?” 

“Not really, I’m heading to school for training right now.” 

“Can I go with you?” Levi asked, almost pleading. 

Eren huffed. “What do you want, Levi?” 

“I want to apologise for yesterday,” Levi replied. “I shouldn’t have said those things to you and I’m sorry, really.” 

Eren looked conflicted, he clenched his jaw and narrowed his eyes as if he didn’t fully believe him. Levi couldn’t blame him, Eren had every reason to be mad at him, but he just hoped he would give him a chance to make it up to him. 

“I don’t have time for this now,” Eren said. “I have to go.” 

Levi felt his stomach drop and the only thing he could do was to watch Eren close the door behind him and head to the side of the house. When he heard the sound of wheels on the grass, Levi snapped out of his nightmare and ran to Eren near the front gate. 

“When do you have time?” he begged. 

“Why do you care so much? I thought you didn’t need me,” Eren said, looking at him cold-eyed. 

The words hit Levi like a smack in the face. 

“You know I didn’t mean it, Eren,” he said. “I need you more than anyone else, I’m sorry I said those things to you, I was ashamed and didn’t want anyone to see me like that. I know I was an ass and you have every right to be mad at me, just know I really didn’t mean it and I love you, Eren, more than anyone else.” 

Eren’s grip on the bike tightened and his eyes were still as cold as ice, paralysing Levi on the spot. 

“It didn’t feel like it yesterday,” he said, but he didn’t give Levi time to reply as he quickly hopped on his bike. “I have to go now, I’m late for training,” he said and with that he left Levi behind. 

Levi watched as Eren’s frame grew smaller and smaller until he was past the line of the horizon. He felt like crying. Eren didn’t believe him, the look on his face had told Levi he was the last person he wanted to see, and Levi couldn’t even blame him. The only person he could reproach was himself for being so closed-off with everyone and for having hurt the most important person in his life. 

He had never thought that his attitude was a problem, in fact it had helped him avoid unwanted friendships most of the time, but now it had become an impediment. Too many times it had prevented him from openly talk to the people close to him and he was tired of it. He wanted to build something meaningful with Eren, but last night had taken him back to step one of their relationship. 

He left Eren’s house feeling down in the dumps, but he still didn’t want to give up, he would never do that. He would try to make up for his mistake over and over again until Eren forgave him or decidedly told him they were done. 

He spent the entire day on edge, not even cleaning helped him with his nerves. He didn’t try to contact Eren again, he figured it was best to leave him alone for now and when it was almost evening he changed again. He dug into his dresser and took out Eren’s soccer T-shirt. He held it in his hands and looked at it with eyes full of regret, gripping the fabric until the wave of sadness went away and then changed his clothes. He wore a black turtleneck underneath the white T-shirt as it was still very cold in the evenings and then put a coat on top of it. He left it open so that his outfit would show. 

He left the house and walked towards the school, shielding himself from the cold behind his scarf. When he arrived, there were already a few people outside, but he didn’t stop and instead headed for the soccer field behind the school. He looked around the stands and noticed Hange sat with Moblit on the highest seats, but he didn’t know whether to approach them or not. He hadn’t talked to his friend either after the events of the previous night. 

His worries vanished when Hange spotted him and energetically waved at him, indicating the empty spot next to them. Relieved by the gesture, Levi climbed up at the stairs. 

“Hi,” he greeted the two as he sat next to Hange. 

“Hi there,” his friend replied with their usual cheerfulness. “Woah, that asshole did a number on your nose.” 

“Yeah, it’ll take a while to heal.” 

“I’m going to the bathroom before the game starts,” Moblit said. 

“Okay,” Hange smiled at him and after unlacing their fingers, the boy left. 

“Listen, I’m sorry for yesterday,” Levi started, grateful for the privacy Moblit had given them. “I know you were worried, and I didn’t let you in, as always.” 

“Don’t worry about it, Levi. I’ve known you long enough to understand how you work.” 

“I’ve never felt as guilty about it as yesterday.” 

“I can’t deny I wish you would tell me what’s going on more often so that I could help you, it’s what friends are for, you know,” Hange said. 

“I know, I’m sorry.” 

“I’ve never heard you apologise so much,” Hange commented. “Did something happen with Eren? He seemed pretty upset yesterday.” 

“I’ve been the worst to him,” Levi replied, hiding his face in his hands. “When he came to see how I was I told him I didn’t need his help, that I could do it by myself, and I’ve really hurt him.” 

“Did you talk to him afterwards?” 

“Yes, but he didn’t want to hear any of it.” 

“Maybe he just needs some time,” Hange tried to reassure him. 

“I hope,” Levi replied, looking at them. “I don’t want to lose him, Hange.” 

“I know, and I’m sure Eren knows it too.” 

Levi wasn’t sure about it. He had never seen Eren as cold as that morning, not even when he was pestering him at the beginning of the school year. He would take that version of Eren any time over the one he saw in the morning. Anything was better than that. 

Moblit came back just as the game was starting and sat down again, kissing Hange on the temple before looking at the field where the players were gathering. Levi’s eyes scanned all of them until he found Eren. Even from a distance he could tell his mouth was set in a straight line and he was looking right in front of him with a stern gaze. 

The players shook hands, took their places on the field and the game started. Eren was playing from the beginning and Levi never lost sight of him. He was more anxious than normal for the game because he knew Eren’s worries got in the way when he played, and he felt bad for being the one that had put them there. 

Eren hadn’t touched the ball yet as it was always on the opponents’ feet, but he was closely following behind them, marking the players and supporting his teammates. He didn’t seem too distracted, though, and Levi took it as a good sign. Finally, Connie managed to steal the ball from a wrong passage, and he ran towards the goal, tossing the ball to Erwin when two players stood in front of him. The captain forcefully made his way further into the adversary team’s half field, dribbling past the players and keeping the ball inside the white line. 

Eren was following him, running away from the opponents that tried to halt him, but always careful not to get too ahead. Erwin had to stop in his tracks as too many players had now gathered around him, so he passed the ball backwards to Jean who started the game again, sending the sphere to the other side of the field to one of his teammates. Levi had never seen that player before, so he assumed he had applied at the beginning of the school year and had rarely played in official games. His moves needed some polishing and they weren’t as smooth as Eren’s, so it didn’t come as a surprise when he lost the ball. 

For the first fifteen minutes nothing significant happened as neither of the teams managed to get close enough to the other’s goal to score. It all changed when a player from the rival team committed a foul and the home team was given an indirect free kick. Erwin was on the ball while two other players were beside him and all the rest in front of the goal. The referee blew his whistle, Erwin took a few steps backwards before running towards the ball and kicking it. All the players jumped to get it and the sphere flew over their heads until Eren was able to touch it with his forehead and directed it towards the net. The goalkeeper was confused by the mass of players jumping in front of him, so he saw the object only when it was too late, and the home team scored. 

The stands roared and Eren seemed as surprised as them, but he was soon submerged by his teammates that piled on top of him, almost crushing him to the ground. He was smiling, hugging his friends back in a way that reassured Levi of his mental state. Hange jumped out of their seat, cheering the team together with the rest of the spectators and Levi did the same. Eren turned towards them and even from a distance, Levi could tell he was looking at him. Was he surprised? Annoyed? Angry? Levi didn’t know, but he hoped that going to the game had been the right choice. 

For the remaining time before the break, the away team strengthened its assault to the goal with the objective to score as well and bring the game back into balance. They almost did it three times, but the goalkeeper always managed to touch the ball just enough to send it outside the field. Levi’s eyes were always trained on Eren, more than usual, and he was pleased to see Eren wasn’t struggling as much as when his dad had left. He didn’t know if it was because his words got through to him and he wasn’t angry with him anymore or because he was picturing the ball as his face, but he was fine with both options. 

The first half of the game ended with the home team still on the lead by one point. The players left the field and as they did, Eren’s eyes found Levi’s again. This time he was closer to the stands so Levi could see the way his mouth curved upwards for a brief second before Eren turned to his coach. Levi smiled as well, taking the gesture as a good omen for their reconciliation. 

“I told you it would be fine,” Hange said, surprising Levi as he didn’t think they were looking at Eren as much as him. 

When the fifteen minutes were over, the game started again and both teams gave their all from the start. The ball went from one side of the field to the other, never staying in one area for too long before being thrown somewhere else. Eren was doing his best as well and was always there for backup when his team needed him, but still no one had been able to get close to the goal. The silence on the stands was overwhelming, everyone was focused on the game in front of them and the only occasions in which they talked was when one of the teams lost the ball. 

It was only towards the end that the result changed. The action started from the opponents’ half field where Connie had once again stolen the ball and had tossed it forwards. It landed on Erwin’s feet and with an almost empty field in front of him, the captain started to run. The other players soon followed him, but he was able to get well past the half-way line before two adversaries blocked his way onward. He tossed the ball to Eren who was free and close to the penalty box. The opponents swarm around him, but before they could stop him, Eren tossed the ball to Jean that kicked it and scored. 

The point put an end to the hopes of the adversary team to win and a few minutes after, the referee signalled the end of the game. The majority of the people on the stands cheerfully left the field while the rest were disappointed for the loss. Levi and his friends left their seats as well and waited for the players in their usual spot in front of the gate. 

Levi was impatient to see Eren and kept throwing glances towards the front door, but the first one to appear was Erwin. He approached them with a satisfied smile on his face and once he got near them, they all congratulated him for the well-deserved victory before easing into small talk. 

“Eren says he’s coming,” Erwin said, addressing everyone, but looking at Levi. 

Right in that moment, Jean joined the group but didn’t stay too long and him and Mikasa soon after left. 

“Remind Eren to put the spare key in the vase when he gets home,” the girl said to Armin. 

The boy nodded and the couple went away. 

“How’s the nose?” Erwin asked Levi. 

“Bruised, but it’ll heal,” Levi replied. “I’m sorry for vanishing yesterday.” 

“Don’t worry, I’m glad you’re all good now.” 

The reply Levi wanted to give him got lost in his mind as he saw Eren coming out of the building and heading towards them. 

“Hi,” he said when he reached the group, pausing next to Armin. 

Levi was painfully aware of the move but didn’t comment on it. 

“Mikasa said to leave the key in the vase,” Armin told him. 

Eren rolled his eyes. “How many times does she need to remind me of that?” 

“I’m just the messenger,” Armin retorted, putting his hands up in defence. 

“I suppose I can’t convince you guys to head over to my place to celebrate?” Hange said. 

They were right as Erwin and Armin already had plans and Levi just wanted to be alone with Eren, so the group soon dispersed and only Eren and Levi stayed behind. 

“Mom’s out and Mikasa is with Jean, so you can come over if you still want to talk,” Eren said. 

“Of course I do,” Levi replied, glad for the opportunity Eren was giving him. 

“I’ll go get my bike.” 

Eren soon came back with the vehicle and they started to walk towards his house since the sports bag was occupying the carrier. Levi snuck glances at him, trying to assess his mood. Eren was calmly walking beside him, looking at the road ahead, but the silence weighted heavy on Levi that wanted to tell him so many things. 

“It was a good game today,” Levi said to break the ice between them. 

“It was,” Eren replied. “I even let Jean score.” 

“I saw,” Levi smiled. 

Eren looked at him and his features softened. His mouth morphed into a small smile and his eyes shone with the usual brightness that went right to Levi’s heart. They continued to walk in a more comfortable silence until they got to Eren’s house and for the second time that day Levi went past the gate. 

Eren parked the bike in front of the house and then led Levi inside. There was a small entryway with stairs in front of it and on the left the living room that had a blue sofa facing the wall with the TV and a white armchair in the corner. In the middle of the room there was a black coffee table with a small plant on it and some magazines next to it. Past it, Levi could see a bit of the kitchen and the dining table. 

“Get comfortable, I go put the bag down,” Eren said. 

Levi took off his shoes and put the coat on the hanger before entering the living room. He tentatively sat on the sofa while he waited for Eren in trepidation. He was pretty sure Eren wasn’t mad at him anymore, but things could still go awry and that was the last thing he wanted. He had made a mistake and was ready to admit it. He just hoped Eren was willing to forgive him. 

While Levi was still lost in his thoughts, Eren came down the stairs and then into the living room. His eyes immediately fell on Levi’s T-shirt, but he sat down next to him without mentioning it. 

“Do you want something to eat or drink?” he asked. 

“No, I’m fine.” 

“Okay.” 

Not wanting to waste any more time, Levi moved closer to Eren. “I’m sorry about yesterday,” he started. “I didn’t mean to snap that way, especially at you, but sometimes I still feel the urge to push everyone away and deal with things by myself first.” 

“I know, Levi,” Eren said. “I understand, I always have, but it still hurts when you do that. I’m here for you and I want to support you, but I can’t do it if you don’t let me.” 

“There are still a few bricks on that wall around my heart and sometimes it’s hard to tear them down, but for you I’ll do it.” 

“You don’t have to,” Eren said, holding Levi’s hand. “You can just peek from behind them and tell me everything’s fine in there and then talk to me when you’re ready, just tell me when it happens and I’ll give you the space you need and when you’ll need me, I’ll be there for you, I’ll always be.” 

Levi squeezed Eren’s hand, feeling that words were going to fail him. Once again, he had forgotten that Eren wasn’t going to leave him if he showed him his ugly side, if he told him he had things that worried him and that his life wasn’t perfect. He was always the first one to be there for Eren when he needed him, now he had to remember that it worked both ways and that the trust Eren had showed him wasn’t ephemeral. 

“Thank you,” he said from the bottom of his heart. 

“You don’t have to thank me,” Eren replied, hugging him tightly and burying his face in the crook of his neck. “Just please don’t close yourself off from me, I don’t want us to end up like my parents.” 

The last statement hit Levi more than the elbow in the face and made him regret his actions even more. Eren had surely seen a similar behaviour in his household before and had experienced the consequences of it. 

“I won’t, Eren,” Levi said, wrapping his hands around the boy as well and holding him close to him. “I promise.” 

Eren kissed his neck before raising his head so that he could look at Levi in the eyes. 

“I love you,” he said. 

“I love you too,” Levi replied and brought their lips together in a kiss that sealed everything they had said. 

When their lips parted, Eren gently smiled at him and Levi’s heart fluttered the way it always did when Eren looked at him that way. He smiled back, unable to contain his relief and as happiness kept building inside of him, he kissed Eren again. 

The soft touch of his lips eradicated the last roots of Levi’s worries and placated the whirlwind of emotions inside of him. Levi kissed him with all the gentleness Eren had showed him, making his body word the things he didn’t always manage to say. 

Once the kiss broke, Levi caressed Eren’s heated cheek with his thumb, still needing to have some sort of contact with him. The few hours he had spent apart from him, worrying about the future of their relationship had starved him and now he ached to feel Eren’s skin under his fingertips, to touch him and make sure he was really there with him. 

“Do you want to stay a bit?” Eren asked. 

“Yes.” 

“We can watch some TV if you want.” 

“Anything you want,” Levi replied; he just wanted to feel Eren close to him. 

“Okay then.” 

Eren took Levi’s hand still on his cheek and kissed it before standing up and grabbing the blankets from the armchair. They both sat with their legs crossed and a blanket spread over them, fingers laced together and knees brushing. Eren turned on the TV and switched the channels until he found a decent movie. Levi rested his head on Eren’s shoulder, trying to get as close to Eren as physically possible. Eren kissed the top of his head and they silently watched the screen in front of them, enjoying the intimacy they had almost lost. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are appreciated, and as always, you can anonymously send me your thoughts on this chapter on [ Tumblr ](https://rachel--exe.tumblr.com/) if you're not comfortable with leaving them here :)


	29. Chapter 29

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! Before you read I have to warn you that this chapter is particularly long (over 7k), so it might take a bit longer to read, but I really hope you guys will enjoy it anyway :)

Because of his misconduct during the latest game, Levi was suspended from club activities for two weeks. There was nothing he could do to change the punishment, not that he wanted to, he recognised he deserved it, so he had to stop playing basketball with his team once again. What he had done still haunted him in his dreams and he regretted it all the more because this time he was the only one to be blamed for having to miss on official games and training sessions.

Levi still trained by himself at the city park but bouncing the ball on the hard concrete all by himself was very different from playing in the gym with people he had known for years. It was still better than nothing, he reminded himself, and a couple of times Eren had joined him, but on those occasions the workout had turned into something else. 

Nothing had changed in Levi’s and Eren’s relationship, in fact the fight had only brought them closer. The day they had spent apart had taught Levi a new kind of loneliness and if before he had never been bothered by it, when it came to Eren he realised it made all the difference and he ached to be with him even more than before. 

The days until his return to the team slowly went by and Levi spent a lot of that time studying with Hange or Erwin. March finally came to an end and with it, Eren’s birthday arrived. Levi wanted to do something special for it the Saturday after, but he still hadn’t planned anything, so as the day inevitably approached he was constantly brainstorming possible ideas. 

He didn’t want to do something at his house, that was for sure. They already spent a lot of their time together there and for once, Levi wanted to take Eren on an actual date. This, however, limited his choices because he couldn’t drive, and he would have never asked someone else to drive them around on their special night. Taxis were too expensive and Eren’s bike was absolutely out of the question, so he would have to find something that wasn’t too far in order to easily walk there and back. 

He thought of things Eren would possibly like to do but was still far from finding the perfect thing for him. Going to the movies wasn’t a good idea as they already watched a lot of films at home and being silent in the dark for two hours wasn’t very appealing to him. He knew Eren sometimes played video games but there wasn’t anything of the sort in town and Levi wasn’t a big fan of them, so that was a no-go as well. From what he had told him, Eren often went pick-nicking with his family, but evenings in March were still pretty cold and Levi didn’t want to do something in the morning. 

Levi wanted the date to be as close to perfection as it could get. He was still afraid he wasn’t giving Eren the love and attention he deserved, and he wanted to show him he truly meant all that he had said after their fight, so he needed to come up with something Eren would enjoy and appreciate. 

The date was the sole thought on his mind and more often than not, Levi found himself spacing out while thinking about it, missing out on whatever other people around him were saying. It happened again while Hange was talking to him as they waited for classes to start and it didn’t go unnoticed by his friend. 

“What’s on your mind?” they asked. “You’ve been spacing out a lot lately.” 

“Nothing.” 

“C’mon, Levi, I know it’s not nothing. Does it have to do with Eren?” 

They sounded concerned and when Levi looked at them, they were biting their bottom lip, worry painted on their face. 

“I want to take him on a date for his birthday, but I don’t know where,” he said. 

Hange’s features visibly relaxed and their eyes sparkled with excitement. 

“You two are so cute,” they squealed. “I can’t handle it.” 

“Shut up,” Levi glared at them. “Do you want to help me or not?” 

“Of course I do, I’d never pass on such a rare occasion.” 

Levi rolled his eyes, but he was eager to hear his friend’s advice. 

“Let’s see,” Hange said, tapping their chin with their index finger. “Why don’t you go to the roller skating rink? The one I wanted to go with you and Erwin during Christmas break.” 

“Didn’t you want to go ice skating?” Levi asked, perplexed. 

“That’s only a winter thing, the rest of the year it’s a normal rink.” 

Levi was intrigued by the idea. Him and Eren could easily chat while doing something that seemed fun, even if there were probably going to be a lot of people. 

“Where is this place exactly?” 

“Near the mall.” 

A bit far, but they had walked longer distances. 

“Okay, not bad, shitty glasses.” 

“Anytime, shorty,” Hange grinned. 

Levi fought the grin that threatened to appear on his lips as well and just rolled his eyes but was still grateful for the help. The only thing he now needed to do was ask Eren if he was free. His birthday was technically on a Thursday, so he would have all the time to do something with his family either the same evening or on Friday after the soccer game. He waited until they had snuck out to the backyard and were alone during lunch break before bringing the topic to his attention. 

“Are you free this Saturday?” he asked as they sat on a bench. 

“I think so, why?” 

“I want to take you out for your birthday.” 

Eren smiled. “Where are you taking me?” 

“To the roller skating rink.” 

“I’m in,” Eren exclaimed as his eyes lit up in excitement. 

“We’ll have to walk there, though,” Levi said, worried. 

“As always,” Eren remarked with no sign of complaint in his voice. 

Levi knew Eren didn’t mind it and since they both exercised a lot, a bit of walking wasn’t that much of a big deal, but he still would have liked to take Eren anywhere he wanted by car, crossing the town in a few minutes in a warm environment instead of walking for more than half an hour or riding Eren’s bike regardless of the weather conditions. 

“It’s really not a problem for me, Levi,” Eren assured him, smiling gently. 

“Maybe one day I’ll get a driving licence and I’ll take you anywhere you want,” Levi said, even if the thought made his stomach knot uncomfortably. 

“Why haven’t you yet?” Eren asked with sincere curiosity in his eyes. 

“For starters, I don’t have a car I can drive,” Levi explained. “My uncle is always out with his and I’m definitely not going to ask him to buy me one, plus driving makes me anxious so when I can, I’d rather walk.” 

Eren smiled and took Levi into his arms, pressing his chest against Levi’s back and holding him close. 

“When I get my driving licence I’m going to take you everywhere in the country,” he said. “I’ll drive very carefully, and we’ll go on long trips so that bit by bit you’ll get used to it and eventually get a driving licence for yourself.” 

Levi hid his face against Eren’s forearm, cheeks blushing and heart beating faster. “Don’t be an idiot,” he muttered. “There’s no need to do that.” 

“I want to,” Eren said, tightening his embrace. “And I’ll do it if you let me.” 

“Maybe after you’ve driven for over ten years.” 

“Deal,” Eren chuckled. 

Levi had always found it difficult to handle Eren’s kindness, but now that he had set himself to accept and embrace it, he was completely thrown off balance. He didn’t know what to say and for once, he didn’t have a sarcastic reply at the ready, so he just buried himself deeper in Eren’s embrace, glad that the boy couldn’t see his face. 

Eren didn’t say anything more, he just kissed his hair and Levi was saved from further embarrassment by the sound of the bell. He had never been more relieved to hear it and he quickly stood up to get back inside, hoping to calm his heart once he was alone. Despite having been together with Eren for some months now, there were still times when Levi felt the same way as during the first weeks of their relationship and when Eren smiled at him before standing up as well and holding his hand, Levi thought time had turned back and that it was November all over again. 

Those feelings still hadn’t changed when on Saturday he got ready to go out and he showered and dressed with his stomach turning into multiple knots. He wore a black and white sweater, a pair of jeans and black shoes before heading out, checking himself once more in the mirror next to the door before leaving. 

He was supposed to meet Eren at his house since the roller skating rink was in that direction, so he made his way over there, hands deep in the pockets of his coat and nose buried in his scarf. He briskly walked there and when he got to Eren’s house he found his boyfriend already waiting for him in front of the house. 

“Hi,” Eren greeted, moving towards him. 

“Hi,” Levi replied as he waited for him on the sidewalk. 

After closing the gate behind him, Eren kissed Levi’s lips. “Let’s go.” 

Butterflies swarmed in Levi’s stomach and he took a hand out of his pocket to lace it with Eren’s warm one as they walked. 

“Have you already been there?” Eren asked. 

“No, this is my first time,” Levi replied. “Hange recommended it to me.” 

“Mikasa went there with Jean and told me it’s pretty cool. People are pros in there.” 

“Can’t wait to land on my ass in front of them.” 

Eren chuckled. “It’s not that hard once you get you used it.” 

“You already know how to roller skate?” 

“Yeah, I used to have a pair of rollerblades when I was little.” 

Great. He was going to make a fool out of himself in front of Eren as well. 

“I’ll catch you if you ever fall,” Eren said, smiling at him. 

Levi rolled his eyes. “Don’t be so smug about it or I’m going to drag you down with me.” 

“It’s going to be so much fun, you’ll see,” Eren said and unlaced their fingers, encircling Levi’s waist with his arm to bring him closer to his body. 

Levi didn’t feel like contradicting him because he knew Eren was right. He always enjoyed himself whenever he was with Eren, no matter what they did. 

They kept walking to their destination as the sun was slowly setting and the air got colder, but before they could feel it sneak underneath their clothes, they arrived at the rink. There were other people going in before them and they quickly joined them inside. As soon as they walked in, they could hear the music that was playing in the rink and the sound of roller skates on the wooden floor. They made their way to the counter to buy the tickets and only then did Levi realise he had to wear shoes that god knows how many people had already used. 

“You can size up and wear them with your own shoes on,” Eren suggested when Levi hesitated to give his shoe number. 

It still disgusted him but there was no other solution unless he stayed outside of the rink and left Eren alone. 

“Fine.” 

Once the guy gave him his shoes, Levi held them by the strings and scrunched up his nose in disgust. They made their way to the entrance of the rink and sat down on a bench to put their shoes on. Levi had to admit they weren’t smelly nor looked terribly filthy, but he still shivered thinking that someone else’s foot had been in there. 

“It’s not really that bad, you know?” Eren said, removing his shoes. “They sanitise them.” 

Levi eyed the roller skates once more before putting them on, resigned. 

“Don’t mention it anymore.” 

Eren smiled and finished to tie the laces of his roller skates. Levi quickly did the same, putting that repulsive thought to the back of his mind and then stood up. They weren’t comfortable shoes and his feet were pretty tight in them, but there was no way in hell he was wearing them with only his socks on. 

“Let’s go,” Eren said and held out his hand, inviting Levi to join him. 

Levi carefully moved forwards and grabbed Eren’s hand, holding it in a tight grip as his back dangerously arched to the back. 

Eren wrapped an arm around his waist to steady him. “I’ve got you.” 

His face was close to Levi’s and the reassuring smile on his lips made Levi’s heart skip a beat. 

Levi averted his gaze as his cheeks turned red and straightened himself, tentatively moving towards the actual rink. 

“C’mon,” he beckoned. 

Eren followed him and together they put foot onto the wooden floor. The rink was already crowded with people of all ages speeding in circles or casually strolling hand in hand, chatting in couples or in big groups. On the second floor there was a restaurant with already a few patrons eating dinner while they looked underneath them. 

“We can stay close to the bannister until you feel more stable,” Eren said. 

“Okay.” 

Levi held on to the metal bar that surrounded the rink while he held Eren’s hand. He started with careful movements, slowly moving forwards while Eren guided him. He was self-conscious of his inability compared to all the other people speeding beside him, but Eren didn’t say anything about it and kindly helped him. 

“Is this okay?” Eren asked. 

Levi looked away from the floor and into Eren’s eyes. A genuine concern was portrayed in them and Levi felt vulnerable under that gaze like a baby taking his first steps, but he pushed through that feeling and squeezed Eren’s hand harder, finding a new sense of security in that grip. 

“It’s fine,” he said. 

Eren smiled and squeezed Levi’s hand back. “You can lean on me whenever you feel ready.” 

Levi nodded. Relying on someone else was scary and not something that came easy to him, but he knew he could trust Eren and that his arms were the right ones to fall into, so he took a deep breath and let go of the bannister. 

Eren was ready to support him with his arm and even if unsteady, Levi skated through the rink alongside him. The secure arm around his waist relaxed him and settled the anxiety inside of him. He encircled Eren’s waist as well and held onto it like a lifeline. 

They circled the rink a few times, leisurely taking their time and Levi grew used to the roller skates. He still hung on to Eren, clinging onto his sweater, but he was more confident in his movements and he didn’t feel as inadequate as before. 

“See? It’s fun once you get used to it,” Eren smiled. 

“It’s not that bad,” Levi replied. “Hange wanted to come ice skating here in winter.” 

“Why didn’t you go?” 

“My ankle was still strained.” 

“We should definitely do that next winter,” Eren said excitedly. 

There were still a lot of months before then and a lot of things could have changed, yet Levi couldn’t help the way his lips twitched and his mouth forcibly curved upwards. 

“Okay.” 

“We should learn some figure skating, so that we can live our _Yuri on Ice_ dreams,” Eren said with sparkling eyes. 

“Our?” Levi remarked, raising an eyebrow. 

“Fine, my dreams, but I need a second person to make them come true.” 

“As long as I don’t strain my ankle again.” 

“Yes, thank you,” Eren replied and pressed Levi’s body against his own in a sort of embrace as they still skated. 

They kept following the rink’s outline, merging with the other people next to them and enjoying their time. As he skated with Eren, Levi took a mental note to go outside with him more often as he had never enjoyed being among other people as much as he did with him. Eren had a special ability to make the rest of the world disappear and Levi’s attention was all on him, forgetful of his surroundings, even of the annoying children that screamed in front of them. 

As time went by, Levi felt more confident in his skating abilities and even if he enjoyed having an excuse to be close to Eren, he deemed himself ready to walk on his own. 

“I’ll try skating by myself now,” he announced. 

“Alright,” Eren said. “Just do as we were doing now, and everything will be fine.” 

Levi loosened his grip on Eren until he was steady on his feet and then let go completely. He did just like Eren had told him and skated a few meters alone with Eren behind him. He was thrilled by the new-found confidence and skated a little bit faster, making a curve before going in a straight line again. 

He still had to learn how to make sharp movements as until then he had simply let Eren guide him, so when a group of children stood in front of him, he didn’t know what to do. He tried to move to the side, but he wobbled on his feet, and quickly went back to skating in a straight line. He wanted to stop but only then did he realise he didn’t know how to do that. 

“Eren,” he called with a tone of panic in his voice. “You didn’t tell me how to stop.” 

Eren was right behind him and came to his rescue, pulling him towards himself to avoid the imminent clash with the children. In doing so, however, Levi lost his balance and inevitably fell onto the ground, taking Eren with him. 

The children turned to laugh at them, and Levi glared at them, muttering threats under his breath, but his anger dissipated when he heard Eren laughing on top of him. 

“I don’t need you to laugh at me as well,” he said. 

“I’m not,” Eren replied but the way he was trying to control his laughter contradicted his words. “I’m laughing at how stupid we look.” 

“It’s not my fault someone didn’t tell me how to stop these hell-sent roller skates,” Levi retorted. “And did I mention how disgusting they are? Because I think I’m going to burn my shoes when I go back home.” 

Levi’s comment only made Eren laugh harder which in return brought a smile to Levi’s lips. He had to agree with Eren, they looked pretty stupid, sprawled on the wooden floor with people passing by them, but the fact that they were together made it all seem meaningless. 

“Told you I was going to land on my ass today,” Levi remarked. 

Eren hid his face on Levi’s chest, shoulders still shaking with amusement. 

“Are we going to spend the rest of the evening here or do you plan on getting up some time soon?” 

Eren raised his head and his face was only inches away from Levi’s. He smiled, almost blinding Levi, and then kissed his cheek before standing up. 

“I think our time on the rink has ended,” he said as he steadied himself on the roller skates. 

“Yeah, let’s pretend this never happened.” 

Eren helped Levi up, still laughing occasionally and Levi couldn’t find it in himself to be mad at him. Even if they had just looked like two idiots, he couldn’t care less about it and the smile on Eren’s lips was all the reward he would have needed to embarrass himself in public again. 

They left the rink, finally removing the roller skates that Levi tossed onto the ground with major disgust. They gave them back and then Levi headed straight to the bathroom to wash his hands a dozen times before he was satisfied enough and joined Eren in the restaurant on the second floor. 

It was more crowded than when they had arrived, but they still found a table to sit at and without looking through the menu for long, they both ordered two pizzas and drinks, too hungry to be bothered to look through the rest of the options. 

“We should come here more often,” Eren said. “I’m really enjoying myself.” 

“Maybe in a few years when people have forgotten about us.” 

“Literally every single person that comes here falls at least once, so they’re used to it.” 

“I don’t want my butt to get used to it,” Levi retorted. 

“I’ll keep it safe, I promise,” Eren chuckled. 

Levi clicked his tongue. “I’m glad you’re having fun, though,” he said. 

“I really am,” Eren replied, lacing their fingers together on the table. “Thank you.” 

“Anytime,” Levi retorted and without thinking twice he brought Eren’s hand to his lips and kissed it. 

Eren was surprised by the affectionate the gesture and by the look in his eyes Levi was sure he would have jumped at him if the waiter hadn’t arrived with their drinks, interrupting the moment. 

They chatted until their food arrived as well and then delved into it, sometimes talking to each other and sometimes remaining silent, but in both cases Levi felt at ease, like there was no other place he’d rather be other than right there with Eren. 

“What do you want to do now?” Levi asked. They had finished their meal and had been staring at the people on the rink for a while, exchanging occasional glances. 

“Maybe go home?” Eren casually said but the implications behind those words didn’t go past Levi. “Okay.” 

Levi paid for their dinner before they left the building. The music from the rink followed them outside into the cold night, bringing with it the last memories of the place. 

They walked hand in hand, puffs of breath forming in the air as they breathed. They snuck glances at each other and little smiles when they were caught, both of them aware of what was going to happen once they reached Levi’s house. 

On their way, they walked past Eren’s house; light was coming out from two windows on the first and second floor. 

“Mom and Mikasa are home,” Eren said as an explanation for the light, but Levi suspected also as a justification for always going to his house. 

“It’s fine,” he assured him, rubbing circles on the back of Eren’s hand. 

When they got to Levi’s house there was no car outside and no lights inside. It looked cold and distant compared to Eren’s, as if no one was ever living there and for some time Levi had felt like a ghost in his own house, but ever since Eren had been coming over more often, it held precious memories and almost every object now reminded him of unforgettable times. 

Once inside, Levi hastily removed his shoes, piling them in a corner to wash them the day after and Eren did the same. They hung their coats and with no more obstacles between them, Eren kissed Levi. There was no rush nor impatience in the gesture, just a greeting, a way to say, “I’m here and I’m not going away” and Levi replied with the same tender touch, “welcome home.” 

It didn’t last long and when their lips parted Eren rested his forehead on Levi’s while he wrapped his arms around his waist. 

“So, the couch?” 

“Not today,” Levi smirked. 

“At least I’ve tried,” Eren grinned back. 

They went upstairs and into Levi’s room where Eren sat on the bed with his back on the headboard and Levi straddled his lap. He put his hands around Eren’s neck, lightly caressing his nape while looking into his eyes. Eren placed his hands on Levi’s hips, bringing their bodies even closer until their foreheads were almost touching. He titled his head to the side, nose brushing against Levi’s, and then kissed him. 

The touch was soft, much like the previous kiss, but unlike earlier they didn’t have to go anywhere, and Levi melted into Eren’s arms, kissing him without a worry in the world. There were only the two of them in the room and he could indulge in the feelings Eren’s kiss gave him as much as he wanted. 

He untied Eren’s bun, discarding the hairband onto the floor, and ran his hands through the smooth hair, gently pulling it until Eren tilted his head backwards and he could kiss him better. There was a warm sensation running through his body and reaching him deep inside, a sense of relief with a hint of fear hidden beneath it. 

Eren was there in his room with his hands touching the skin under his sweater and his lips firmly pressed on his with no intention of leaving, and Levi would have never forgiven himself if he had been so stupid to lose all of this because of his fear and stubbornness. 

He kissed Eren harder, pressing his whole body on Eren’s to feel all of him. Eren tightened his embrace, hands still roaming under Levi’s sweater, leaving a tingling sensation after them. It still wasn’t enough for Levi and his tongue darted out to prod Eren’s mouth and delve deeper into him. When Eren granted him entrance, Levi swiftly rolled his tongue inside and tasted every inch of him, discovering him as if it was the first time. 

Once out of breath, Levi pulled away but didn’t loosen his grip on Eren as if afraid that he would disappear. Eren was breathing heavily as well, eyes half-lidded and cheeks of a red hue that tugged at Levi’s heart. He ran his thumbs over them, feeling the heat under his fingertips and Eren trained his eyes on him. They were blown wide with a raw need behind them and Levi got lost in them. Deep inside of him surged the need to give every part of himself to Eren, aware that the boy would have never mistreated him. 

“Tell me, Eren,” he said in a voice that felt like someone else’s. “What do you want?” 

“You,” Eren immediately replied. There was no hesitation in the eyes that were still looking at Levi’s, only pure sincerity. 

“I’m already yours,” Levi said. 

“Me too.” 

Eren kissed him and Levi didn’t doubt his words. He had done it for far too long, holding back and hiding without realising how much he was hurting himself, never allowing anyone to love him for who he was and never giving himself a chance. He had done it over and over in his relationship with Eren, taking a step forward only to take two backwards, but this time he would walk on the same path as Eren, trusting him when he would eventually find an obstacle on his way. 

When the kiss broke, Eren moved to his neck, nibbling at it before sucking red patches on his skin. Levi threw his head backwards and a heavy sigh left his lips at the feeling. He closed his eyes as Eren continued to kiss him, reaching his jaw and behind his ear. 

Eren’s hands stopped wandering under Levi’s sweater and moved to pull it off, tugging at the hem before removing it. Once the piece of clothing was off, Eren’s attention turned to Levi’s nipple, licking it and carefully playing with it with his teeth. It sent shocks of pleasure through Levi’s body that travelled down to his cock, already uncomfortably strained inside his jeans. 

Eren sucked his nipple and Levi couldn’t hold back the groan that left his lips. He tightened his grip on Eren’s hair, pulling it harshly, but Eren didn’t complain, instead Levi could feel the smirk on his chest before Eren returned to his ministrations. The way his tongue lapped at Levi’s nipple was making Levi’s skin more and more sensitive to the point of almost being too much, but it still felt so good he didn’t want him to stop. 

When Eren bit his nipple again, Levi jerked his hips forwards, jeans now decidedly too tight and in doing so his erection rubbed against Eren’s. He reached between them to undo Eren’s pants and palm him through the fabric of his underwear. Eren had to stop his movements as a moan forced his lips away from Levi and he rutted against his boyfriend as he kept touching him, tracing the outside of his hard cock. 

“Fuck,” Eren groaned when Levi slipped his hand under his underwear. 

Eren was already leaking pre-come and Levi thumbed his head to wipe it away, barely glancing at it as he was mesmerised by Eren’s face right in front of him. Eren always looked so good it was almost unfair, but with his cheeks covered by a red blanket and his parted lips shining with a coat of saliva, he was a vision to behold and Levi couldn’t tear his eyes away from him. 

He stared at Eren as his face contorted in pleasure and his eyelids dropped, covering his blown out eyes. He slowly stroked his cock, feeling every inch of hot skin in his palm and enjoying the effect it had on Eren. The boy bit his bottom lip and his cheeks turned a deeper shade of red. 

Levi couldn’t contain himself anymore and clashed his lips with Eren’s, kissing him hard while he still touched his cock. It was like the kiss had brought Eren back to reality as his hands were suddenly gripping Levi’s waist tighter and he bucked his hips forward, trying to bring their hips together but forgetting Levi’s arm between them. He groaned and started to fumble with Levi’s fly, doing a poor job at unzipping it as he was too busy kissing him, but succeeding in driving Levi crazy with his clumsy touches. 

Levi broke the kiss, as eager as Eren to be naked. “Take off your clothes,” he said and then stood up. 

Eren hastily undress, tossing his clothes across the room and sat naked on the bed. Levi was more careful with his jeans and he put them on the dresser together with his underwear. He straddled Eren’s lap once again, feeling his smooth skin under his touch and tentatively rubbing their cocks together. 

It was the best feeling in the world. 

He wrapped his arms around Eren’s shoulders, lightly caressing his skin as he bucked his hips forward, sliding his cock against Eren’s once more. They both moaned at the contact and Levi kept rolling his hips forward with slow and steady movements, simply feeling Eren on him. 

Eren kissed him while with his hands he brought Levi’s body closer to his so that there wasn’t a single gap between them, and Levi could feel his heart on his chest. Their tongues met and languidly sough each other, sucking and licking. Feeling. 

As they kissed, Eren’s hands reached lower, cupping Levi’s ass and squeezing it, lightly grazing his fingers over his hole, questioning. Levi rutted against his hand, agreeing to his proposal, so he wasn’t surprised when Eren’s touch left him and he heard him opening his bedside table while still kissing him. 

Levi’s body shivered in anticipation and he kissed Eren harder, tracing the insides of his mouth and pressing himself closer to him. Eren fumbled with the drawers, unable to find what he wanted with his eyes closed and inevitably knocked something off the furniture. 

“Sorry,” he said when their lips parted. 

Levi pecked his mouth and then took lube and condoms from the last drawer himself. 

“Here,” he handed the objects to Eren. 

He remained on his lap as Eren worked him open, kissing his cheeks, jaw, neck, and chest, wherever he could reach, with lips as soft as feathers. Levi squirmed under that ever-loving touch, unable to handle the emotions it sparkled inside of him, the sense of security and comfort that had been unfamiliar to him before. 

When Eren brushed against his prostate, Levi dropped his head on Eren’s shoulder, barely holding back a moan as his body was shaken by waves of pleasure. He jerked his hips forward in search of friction as his cock leaked more and more pre-come and he felt heat already coiling in his lower abdomen. 

Eren was always too meticulous when he fingered him, wanting to be sure Levi was ready for him, but it always brought Levi too close to the edge, forcing him to either hold back or push him away. This time Levi was too impatient to wait and stopped Eren’s hand as it was about to thrust into him once again for what felt like the millionth time. 

“I’m ready,” he announced. 

Eren still stretched him open a few times before leaving Levi to feel empty as he wore the condom. 

“Do you want to lie on the bed?” Eren asked once he was ready as well. 

“No.” 

He just wanted to feel all of him on his skin. 

Eren nodded and Levi aligned himself with his cock, holding it steady as he sank down on it. The burning stretch made him stop a few times and whenever he did, Eren rubbed soothing circles on his skin or helped him in his motion until he was completely inside of Levi. 

Levi stopped to get used to the feeling and Eren cupped his face in his hands, looking at him in the eyes before kissing his lips. Levi immediately relaxed under his touch and he held onto him once more, relishing in the heath spreading between their bodies. 

When their lips parted, Eren lay back just enough to give Levi room for movement and with his hands on Levi’s hips, he helped him. Levi first rolled his hips, occasionally standing up a little until he was well used to the engulfing feeling and started to fuck himself on Eren’s cock. 

He pulled out before sinking down again, using the muscles in his thighs to do it in a single motion that made Eren groan. His fingers dug deeper into Levi’s skin and his hips moved of their own accord to meet Levi as he sank down once more. 

It was different from when Eren was in charge as it gave Levi the opportunity to see the boy writhe underneath him and it filled him with satisfaction and a bit of mischief. He slowed down his pace, teasing Eren with unhurried movements that weren’t enough for either of them, but Levi was enjoying himself while watching how Eren’s face changed from blissed out to impatient. 

“Levi,” Eren whined, bucking his hips upwards harder. 

He hit close to Levi’s prostate and Levi was about to give in just to get his release, but he held back. 

“Tell me you want me,” he said, eyes trained on Eren’s. 

“I want you so bad, Levi,” Eren pleaded. “You feel so tight and hot around me, and I need you so much I’m going crazy.” 

Levi’s breath hitched in his throat at Eren’s words and he groaned while his cock twitched. Eren’s reassurance was all Levi needed to hear without knowing it and deep inside of him something moved and then settled back again. 

He wound his arms tighter around Eren’s shoulders, bouncing on Eren’s cock faster. Eren held him in his arms, hands tight on his figure as he kissed his neck, nipping Levi’s skin and leaving marks behind him. 

Levi’s thighs were burning from the fast pace, but he didn’t stop. He wanted to repay Eren for what he had given him, for the constant trust and help he offered him, even if it had taken Levi too long before being ready to accept them. 

But he was ready now and as he sank down on Eren’s cock again, he held onto him, pressing his face in the crook of Eren’s neck as he repeatedly called his name and Eren replied with hands that guided him in his movements and I love yous whispered in his ear in such a needy and earnest way that Levi’s chest hurt. 

Levi’s cock was rubbing against Eren’s toned stomach, smearing pre-cum on it, but the light touch was unsatisfying. Levi reached for his cock as his body ached for release, but Eren pushed his hand away and wrapped his own around it. 

“Let me take care of it today,” he said, thumbing his head before stoking him in earnest. 

Levi kissed him, moaning in his mouth as Eren’s cock hit his prostate and his hand took him close to the edge. He held back as much as he could, feeling Eren slip in and out of him and sliding their tongues together, a dribble of saliva trickling down their jointed mouths. 

Eren was the one to break the kiss, panting hard. 

“Levi,” he moaned and with a last sharp thrust, his body was shaken by waves of pleasure as he came. 

Levi followed soon after, clenching around Eren who stroked him through his orgasm until Levi’s cock was soft in his hand. 

Eren fell back on the headboard and Levi slumped on top of him, too tired to move, legs pulsating for the effort. Eren lightly caressed his back, lulling Levi down from his high and into slumber. He kissed his cheek, tugging his hair behind his ear while keeping an arm around his waist. Levi wanted to curl up with him and let Eren look after him, but the position was too uncomfortable and Eren’s cock was still partially inside of him, so he stood up just enough to lie down in the small space between the bed and the wall. 

“Are you okay?” Eren asked as he removed the condom and quickly cleaned his hand. 

“Can you stay a bit longer?” Levi replied instead. 

Eren’s lips curved up into a smile. “As much as you want.” 

Levi curled up next to him and Eren wrapped his arms around him. It was comfortable and familiar, and Levi felt closer to Eren and at the same time more vulnerable, as if he had exposed a part of himself he had kept well hidden. Still, he wasn’t scared; he felt safe in Eren’s arms. 

Eren kissed his hair, taking Levi away from his thoughts and he remembered there was something he wanted to give him. 

“I bought a present for you,” Levi said, raising his head. 

Eren looked at him with an excited light in his eyes. “Really?” 

“Yeah, could you grab my jeans?” 

Eren stood up, taking Levi’s pants from the dresser before sitting back down. 

“Here.” 

Levi sat up and took the piece of clothing. He dug his hand into one of the pockets and retrieved a small wrapped package. Eren was looking at him with an excited smile on his lips and Levi hoped he would like what he had bought him. 

“Happy birthday,” Levi said, handing the package to Eren. 

“Thank you,” the boy replied, kissing his cheek before taking his present. 

Levi nervously watched him as he unwrapped the gift only to reveal another small bag. Eren pulled the strings that held it close and when he turned it upside down, a black bracelet fell from it. 

“It’s like the one you gave me,” Levi explained as Eren turned it in his hands. 

Eren’s eyes lit up. “We have matching bracelets now.” 

Levi nodded. He had wanted to give Eren something that he could wear everyday and be reminded of him, but it was definitely too early for a ring, so he figured that a bracelet was equally good and more subtle. 

“Thank you,” Eren smiled. “Put it on me,” he added, giving the bracelet to Levi. 

Levi took the object and delicately slid it on Eren’s wrist. He stared at it while he held Eren’s hand in his, their bracelets close to one another. He raised his eyes and Eren was still looking at their hands, mesmerised by the view. His lips were stretched into a tender smile and his features had softened, morphed by his evident happiness. 

Levi’s heart skipped a beat when Eren finally trained his eyes on him, looking so honest that he felt uncomfortable under that piercing gaze. 

“This was really sweet of you,” Eren said. 

Levi averted his eyes, more embarrassed than before. “It’s nothing.” 

Eren chuckled. “I’ll never get over how cute your blush is.” 

“Shut up,” Levi replied, glaring at him. 

“I’m serious, it really suits you.” 

“I think it’s time for you to go home,” Levi said and pushed him out of the bed. 

Eren didn’t move, only laughed harder at Levi’s poor attempt at hiding his now flushing face. 

“And you’ve still got come on your stomach,” Levi pointed out. 

“Whose fault is that?” Eren winked. 

“Yours,” Levi puffed. 

Eren grinned and suddenly pinned Levi to the bed, completely covering Levi’s frame with his own. 

“Was it?” Eren said in a sultry voice, grinding his naked cock on Levi’s. 

Levi groaned, cock twitching with interest. “Shut up and kiss me.” 

Eren grinned wider, slowly rutting against Levi again before kissing him, taking his bottom lip between his teeth. Levi wound his arms around Eren’s shoulders and as he opened his mouth to let Eren’s tongue slide in, he knew it would have taken a few more hours before Eren left his house. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments and kudos are highly valued and appreciated, and if have any questions or simply want to say hi you can do it on [ Tumblr ](https://rachel--exe.tumblr.com/) and also on the ereri discord server :)


	30. Chapter 30

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Here's a new chapter and as you may have noticed we're reaching the end, there are only two chapters left, which makes me really sad because I'm not ready to let go yet, but this story has run its course and it's time to say goodbye to it. It's not over yet, though, so please enjoy this chapter! :)

April had barely started, and Levi was already feeling the weight of finals week on his shoulders. His grades were as good as always and he wasn’t behind in any subject, but a hint of panic was slowly settling in his stomach, urging him to study harder than before.

That was why he was still sat at his desk on a Saturday evening, head buried in a book and pencil in his hand. He wanted to finish the last chapter he had to revise for the biology test on Monday before finally having dinner and then heading out to Erwin’s house. They were having the first movie night of the month and Hange was bringing another of those awful teen comedies Levi wasn’t fond of, but in that moment, he would gladly accept the distraction. He had spent the whole day studying, dedicating only a few minutes to lunch and bathroom breaks and occasional texts to Eren and he was slowly reaching insanity. 

He was reading the last lines of the chapter, when the sound of the front door opening caught his attention. He frowned, looking at the phone to check the time, but he didn’t have to worry about possible intruders as a familiar voice echoed from downstairs. 

“Levi,” his uncle called. 

“Yes?” Levi hesitantly replied; it was the first time Kenny announced his arrival. 

“I’ve brought dinner if you want.” 

Dinner? Levi was even more confused than before, but his stomach grumbled, giving him no other choice but to say, “Okay,” before closing the book and throwing in the bin the empty packets of cookies on his desk. 

He went downstairs, and then into the kitchen where his uncle was already taking out food from two bags with the name of the diner he worked at on them. 

“I got off early so I thought we could eat something together,” Kenny said as he continued to put food on the table. “Or maybe you’ve already eaten?” 

“No, I was about to,” Levi replied and went to get a tablecloth and dishes. 

Once everything was set, they both sat down at the table with burgers and fries on their plates and water in their glasses. It was strange, Levi couldn’t remember the last time he had eaten at the same time as Kenny, in fact it was probably the first one, but he didn’t mind it. 

No words were exchanged for a while and they simple ate their food, but the silence in the kitchen wasn’t awkward, it was simply waiting for someone to speak up. 

“Did I interrupt something?” Kenny eventually said. 

“No, I was just studying.” 

“How’s school going?” 

Levi shrugged his shoulders. “Okay, I’ve got decent grades.” 

“Good,” Kenny nodded as he focused on his plate once again. 

“How’s work?” Levi asked, trying to keep the conversation going. 

“Not bad.” 

“Good.” 

Their exchange had been more uncomfortable than the previous silence and if there was an award for most awkward conversation ever, Levi was sure theirs would have won. He tried to think of something more interesting to say, but his uncle beat him to it once again. 

“Are you still playing basketball?” Kenny asked, furrowing his brows. “You’ve been home quite a lot lately.” 

“I was suspended from club activities for two weeks,” Levi admitted, surprised by his uncle’s observation. 

“Why?” Kenny questioned with evident surprise on his face. 

“I’ve punched a guy during a game.” 

Kenny’s eyes widened. “I didn’t take you for someone who liked foul plays.” 

“I don’t,” Levi quickly replied; he didn’t want anyone to think he supported that kind of behaviour. “I was just really pissed after receiving an elbow on the nose.” 

Kenny immediately shifted his attention to Levi’s nose, somewhat anxious, but after seeing everything was fine he relaxed. 

“I didn’t know that happened,” he said in an almost disappointed voice. 

He looked guilty and regretful. Levi imagined he was upset he hadn’t noticed it, but how could he have when they had practically never seen each other while Levi was healing? 

“I didn’t break my nose, and everything’s fine now,” he reassured him. 

“Why didn’t you tell me? I could have taken you to a hospital.” 

“As I said, my nose wasn’t broken,” Levi replied. 

“Next time tell me if you need my help.” 

Kenny looked genuinely sorry and for the first time, Levi saw in him the attentive uncle he could have been. He wondered how many things would have been different if he had had a parental figure in his life, someone that had looked after him a lot more, and that had taught him the ways of life. He might have been a different person, have different goals and ambitions, be more welcoming towards the rest of humanity, but he might have also never met his current friends and Eren, and his daydream immediately vanished at the thought. 

“I will,” he said. “What’s done it’s done.” 

He had seen the little gestures, the few words exchanged every once in a while instead of the radio silence of the past, and even the bigger sum of money his uncle now gave him. Levi suspected Kenny had the same communication problems as him, but those things spoke for him and he was willing to give him a chance. 

“Why don’t we do something together this evening?” Kenny said. “Maybe watch some basketball.” 

“I’m going out with my friends tonight,” Levi replied. 

“Another time then.” 

“Sure.” 

Levi was about to give another bite to his burger when his uncle spoke again. 

“How are things with your _friend_ from last time?” he said as a corner of his lips turned up into a knowing grin. 

“Fine.” 

There were a few things Levi was willing to share with his uncle, but his relationship with Eren wasn’t among them. 

“He seemed nice when I met him,” Kenny insisted. 

“He is,” Levi said, hoping he would drop the subject soon. 

Kenny’s laughter filled the room. “You’re not like Kuchel at all,” he said. “She was always pestering me whenever she got a new boyfriend, I couldn’t make her shut up.” 

At hearing his mother’s name, Levi raised his gaze and looked at his uncle, hoping he would say something more. He had always been curios about what kind of person his mother had been, and Kenny was the only one he could ask since his father had never contacted him. 

“She couldn’t shut up when she had you neither,” his uncle continued as if replying to Levi’s questioning eyes. “She was so happy, she always held you in her arms and showed you off to anyone she knew,” a sad veil covered his eyes and his head dropped. “If only I had been more present in her life as well.” 

Levi’s heart tugged at the memory of his mother. He had always known she had been very loving towards him and getting to know those little details about her made him wish she was still there with him. The regretful expression on Kenny’s face told him he was having the same thoughts and the loss of someone dear to both of them brought them closer than anything else. 

“I don’t want to make the same mistake with you,” Kenny said. “I’ll make an effort to be more at home, I’ll take a goddamn holiday, I work too many hours anyway, and we’ll do something together if you want to.” 

Levi’s lips stretched into a small smile and his features relaxed from the previous anguish. 

“Sounds good to me,” he said. 

“You can invite that boy too, you know,” Kenny said, more relived. 

“We’ll see.” 

Kenny laughed again and they went back to their dinner in a much lighter mood, exchanging a few words every once in a while until they were done. 

“I’ll do the dishes tonight, you go out with your friends,” Kenny said as Levi grabbed the detergent from underneath the sink to wash their dirty plates. 

“Alright, have fun,” Levi retorted with a little grin on his face. 

“You too,” Kenny replied with a small smile of his own. 

Levi went to his room and changed his sweatpants for a pair of jeans, still keeping the same sweater, then headed to the bathroom and once ready he left the house. On the way out he said goodbye to his uncle, most likely for the first time in years, and started his walk to Erwin’s house. 

As he passed through the city he thought back to the conversation with his uncle and was surprised by how easy it had been to talk to him. Kenny had always seemed very closed off and even intimidating when he was a child, but after the brief exchanges they had had for some time and their conversation over dinner, he hadn’t come off as bad as Levi had thought. 

He wondered what kind of things they could do together and the image of them being a happy family looked very weird in his mind, but maybe they could find a compromise, a little thing to do together like watching basketball or doing puzzles, something that they both had in common and then build up from there. Levi was open to all possibilities. 

He had almost arrived at Erwin’s house when the phone in his pocket buzzed. 

**Eren: please tell me you’re coming, things are getting awkward**

Attached to that there was a picture of Erwin and Armin sat close together on a sofa, fingers laced together and what looked like a blush on Armin’s cheeks. 

Levi chuckled in amusement before typing a reply. 

**Me: Those two never learn, I’m on my way**

He pocketed the phone again and walked faster now that he knew Eren was already there. It took him a few more minutes to get to his destination and as he was approaching the house he recognised Hange’s car coming from the opposite direction. They honked at him before parking in front of the house and getting off together with Moblit. 

“Levi,” they squealed as they approached him. “How are you? I’ve missed you so much.” 

“We saw each other yesterday,” Levi pointed out, ringing the doorbell. 

“I know, but we didn’t text each other today,” Hange complained. “What have you done?” 

“I studied,” Levi replied. “What about you two?” 

“Same,” Hange said, but the guilty glance they exchanged with Moblit told Levi that wasn’t the whole truth. 

The door opened and Erwin greeted them, holding it open for them as they entered. After removing their shoes and greeting Erwin’s parents, the group moved downstairs where there was a small room with a big angled sofa and a TV that they occasionally used when Erwin didn’t have the whole house for himself. 

Armin and Eren were still sat on the sofa and the newcomers soon joined them. Levi quickly moved towards Eren, drawn by his welcoming smile. 

“Thanks for saving me,” the boy said as Levi sat next to him. 

“Did you come together with Armin?” Levi asked. 

“No, I came here by bike, and when I arrived he was already here, looking mildly fucked out, may I add.” 

Levi smiled, amused. “You’re not the only one to have caught them like that.” 

“I regret coming here so early, but I thought you would have already been here.” 

“I had dinner with my uncle tonight,” Levi explained. 

Eren raised his eyebrows in surprise. “Really?” 

“Yeah,” Levi replied but didn’t manage to say anything else as he was interrupted by Hange. 

“What are you two chitchatting about?” they said. 

“Eren was telling me that Erwin and Armin still haven’t learnt not to fuck when people are coming over.” 

“Eren,” Armin scolded his friend. 

“It was so awkward being here with you two,” Eren defended himself. 

“And it’s not the first time you get caught,” Levi added. 

“And it won’t be the last,” Erwin retorted, not at all ashamed. 

“What are we watching, Hange?” Armin said, eager to change the topic. 

“To continue in the series of young adults movies, I’ve brought _Ten Things I Hate about You_ ,” they said, holding the DVD case of the movie in their hand. 

While Hange put the DVD on, they all settled down. Levi remained next to the armrest with Eren beside him, Erwin was casually sat in the corner of the sofa with Armin in his arms and Moblit sat in the middle between the two couples, waiting for Hange to be done. 

The movie soon started, and they all stared at the screen. Someone helped themselves to the pop corns and chips on the coffee table in front of them and even without looking, Levi could tell it was Hange from the loud chews that became like background noise to the movie. 

The film was entertaining, but Levi’s mind still wandered from time to time and he was reminded of the conversation with his uncle about his mother. He had accepted her death many years ago but talking about her always made him more nostalgic and lonelier, and he couldn’t get her out of his head. 

He snuggled closer to Eren, wrapping his arms around the boy’s waist and Eren turned to smile at him, affectionately rubbing his back. He rested his head on Eren’s shoulder as he continued to watch the movie, feeling the warmth spreading from Eren’s body and mindlessly playing with the hem of his sweater. 

He didn’t let go of Eren even when the movie ended, and the lights were turned on. The rest of his friends stretched their limbs, numb for the prolonged inactivity, but Levi clung onto Eren’s reassuring presence, feeling the nostalgia fading away. 

“Get a room, you two,” Hange said, looking at them. 

Levi glared at his friend, but Eren simply smiled. 

“This is my revenge for before,” he said, playfully sticking out his tongue. 

“Things are heated tonight,” Hange joked. 

“The movie was so boring I had to find a way to distract myself,” Levi grinned. 

“It wasn’t boring,” Hange protested. “What do you guys think?” 

“You’ve brought worse movies,” Erwin commented. 

“What did you watch before I joined you?” Moblit asked. 

“You’re so lucky you weren’t around during the parodies phase,” Levi replied. “Those movies were terrible.” 

“I agree, but you missed some good musicals,” Erwin added. 

“We can watch _Vampires Suck_ whenever you want,” Hange told Moblit. 

“I think I’ll pass on that one,” the boy replied, looking mildly concerned. 

“How dare you?” Hange said, pretending to be offended. 

They all laughed at their reaction and then relaxed on the sofa, eating some more food and lightly chatting until Erwin took out the Monopoly board and they all gathered around the coffee table. Eren somehow always ended in prison and Levi managed to buy a few buildings, earning a lot of money and winning the first round. 

“Are you guys excited for prom this year since it’s your last?” Moblit asked as they started the second round. 

“Do we really have to go?” Levi retorted, not at all excited by the idea of having to spend hours with people he didn’t care about, pretending to be having fun. 

“Yes, it’s our last high school event,” Hange said. “It’s going to be so sad.” 

Levi rolled his eyes. “I don’t care, I’m going to stay home.” 

“Don’t you dare,” Hange scolded him. “I’ll drag you to it, or make Eren do it, you can’t say no to him.” 

Eren laughed. “He still has to invite me, though.” 

“You little shit,” Levi glared at him. 

“I love you too, babe,” Eren smiled, kissing Levi’s cheek. 

“We’ll definitely be there,” Erwin said. 

“I’m super excited,” Hange exclaimed, squeezing the cards in their hands. 

Even with the crumpled cards, Hange won the game and after chatting for a bit longer, they all left Erwin’s house. Hange and Moblit went back by car while Levi and Eren decided to walk instead of using Eren’s bike to spend even just a few more minutes together. 

As they walked, Levi encircled Eren’s waist with his arm and moved closer to him. 

“Is everything okay?” Eren said with a surprised smile. “You’re unusually clingy today.” 

“Do I need a reason to hug my boyfriend?” 

“Absolutely not, but you usually wait until we’re alone to do it.” 

“Today I feel like it,” Levi muttered, looking at the road ahead of him. 

“Does it have to do with the talk you had with your uncle?” 

Levi shifted his gaze towards him, both surprised and glad for Eren’s attentiveness. He breathed in deeply and then blew out all the air from his nose. 

“We talked about my mom,” he said. “Just a few phrases, but it made me feel melancholic, I guess? And… you always make me feel less lonely,” he added in a voice barely above a whisper. 

Eren held the bike with just one hand while he wrapped the other around Levi’s shoulders, caressing him soothingly. 

“I’m glad I’m able to do that,” he said. “And I’m glad you had a talk with your uncle.” 

“He said he wants to spend more time with me,” Levi added, eager to move to another topic. 

“Do you want to?” 

“I’m not against it, even though he mentioned inviting you to our trips as well.” 

Eren’s eyes lit up. “You tell me when and where and I’ll be there.” 

“He doesn’t need to know more about us.” 

“Why not? I always tell my mom how cute you are.” 

Levi looked at him with wide eyes. 

“What?” Eren laughed. “I’m not ashamed to tell her about you.” 

“I’m not ashamed about you either, I just want to keep our moments to myself.” 

“I know,” Eren smiled at him, making Levi love him even more for how understanding he was. 

Levi smiled back and they held onto each other as they continued to walk. 

“I guess I have to ask you then?” Levi said after a while. 

“What?” 

“Will you go to prom with me?” 

Eren’s face opened up into a bright smile. “Of course I will,” he said. “But you need to promise me we’ll dance together at least once.” 

“Fine” Levi replied, rolling his eyes. He would have done anything Eren asked him. 

“Yes,” Eren exclaimed, squeezing Levi’s shoulder. 

They had arrived at Levi’s house and they stopped in front of the gate. Kenny’s car was still parked on the front yard and there was a faint light coming out from the window of the living room. 

“I’ll see you on Monday then,” Eren said. 

Levi nodded and stood on his toes to kiss him, wrapping his arms around Eren’s middle as their lips slotted together. He prolonged the kiss more than usual, stealing even just a few seconds more before they had to part. Eren didn’t pull back either, but kissed him harder, nibbling his bottom lip and Levi hugged him tighter, a faint loneliness still tugging at his heart. 

Eren was the first to pull back, quickly pecking Levi’s lips once more. 

“It’s better if I go before your uncle catches us again.” 

“Yeah,” Levi smiled and kissing Eren one last time, he moved away from him. “Text me when you get back.” 

“Of course,” Eren smiled. “See you at school.” 

Levi nodded and watched as Eren hopped on his bike and left. He then turned towards his house, wondering if his uncle had heard them. He didn’t have to worry, though, since as soon as he entered, a light snoring came from the living room. He quietly removed his shoes and hung his coat before checking on his uncle. He was lying on the sofa, fast asleep with the TV still on. Levi turned down the volume and carefully put a blanket on him before going to his room, hoping Eren would text him soon. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is appreciated and as always you can find me on [ Tumblr ](https://rachel--exe.tumblr.com/) and on the ereri discord server :)


	31. Chapter 31

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi! The new chapter's here and with it, also the last basketball game of the fic! Can you believe after all this time I still haven't learnt the rules/technical words of the game? Google must think I'm really passionate about basketball, but the truth is that I'm really forgetful and unlike Levi, not an expert at all.  
> I hope you enjoy this chapter, I'll probably post the next (and last) one next week, thank you so much for reading <3

By the time Levi got back to his team, the basketball season was almost over, and he was able to play in only two official games before the final one. It was going to be the last game for all the senior players and every time he thought about it, Levi felt a pang in his heart. He had seen the team grow so much and with it, he had grown as well. He had learnt how to work together with other people, slowly building the trust and skills that were fundamental for team play and improving his game day after day.

His career as a high school player was coming to an end and even if Levi was excited about his future life as a college player, he couldn’t deny he was sad about leaving his current team. His teammates felt the same way, they trained longer than usual, and the youngest members always sought his help as captain of the team, trying to get as many tips as they could on how to maintain a strong team. 

Levi willingly showed them all the things he had learnt during the years because even if he was leaving, he would always have fond memories of the years he had spent in the team and he wanted it to still be one of the strongest ones in future years. 

Despite the ups and downs of the semester, they were currently in the lead, but only by two points, which meant that they had to win the next game; they couldn’t simply rely on the team in second place to lose or draw. 

Since finals were just around the corner, Levi spent a lot of his time studying and because of it, he hadn’t been able to see Eren outside of school. The boy too divided his time between schoolwork and training. The soccer team had its last game on Friday as well and was even more desperate to win because it was behind the team in first place by only one point. 

Eren’s team was playing in another town, so Levi said his goodbyes to him in the afternoon with the promise of seeing each other after the games at the celebratory party Hange had organised. If at the beginning of the year, Levi had lowkey wished the soccer team would lose its league, now he hoped it would be able to win because he knew how much it meant to Eren and the childish feud between the teams was water under the bridge. 

Levi’s opponents for the evening were pretty powerful being in third place on the league board and from previous games, Levi knew they were going to be challenging adversaries. He wasn’t intimidated by it, though, and on Friday, he entered the school gym with deep concentration and a strong drive. He wanted his last game as a high schooler to be memorable. 

On the stands, Hange and Moblit were cheering for him, but Eren’s absence weighted heavily on him and he wished he had been there with him. He pushed those thoughts to the side, sure they would distract him more than necessary, and focused his attention on his coach who was dispersing the last tips and encouragements for the game. 

A few minutes after, the teams were called onto the court and Levi, Mike, Gunther, Erd, and Oluo took their positions, all of them with the same determined attitude. Once everyone was ready, the referee blew his whistle and threw the ball in the air. Mike got it first and directed it towards Levi who was ready to receive it. He ran towards the basket, bouncing the ball in front of him as the whole gym cheered him on. It fuelled him with more determination and as the rough fabric of the ball hit his fingertips, it lit the spark of excitement inside of him and fire ran through his body. 

He cut through the defence, using his small frame to swiftly dribble past the adversaries that blocked his way. Once near the basket, he tossed the ball to the side to avoid the player that was defending it, and Oluo promptly received it, moving a few steps backwards before throwing it and hitting the rim of the hoop. 

The team didn’t get discouraged by the missed opportunity, instead they all ran to defend their own basket. As expected, the opponents were strong and knew how to defend the ball, so it took many attempts before Levi was able to snatch it away from them. They had barely made it past the three-point arc when Levi got it and once again started the counter attack. 

This time they were luckier and after Levi had tossed him the ball, Mike slammed it in the hoop, scoring the first points of the evening. The spectators applauded them, and even the coach shouted encouragements from the bench. The fire running through Levi was still alive, and as he chased player after player, he felt it burning inside of him, filling him with a euphory only basketball had been able to give him. 

He played with a smile on his lips, ready for the challenges of the game and with the lightness of someone that only felt at ease with the sound of shoes shrieking on the wooden floor in his ears and with the rough ball hitting his hand at every step. 

He supported his team as Erd tried to score again, stopping a few meters away from the basket before tossing the ball. It didn’t make it inside, but they were all ready to run after their adversaries and in a few seconds they were on the other side of the court, defending their basket from the attack. This time the adversaries were able to score, bringing the game back to a draw. 

Neither team took the lead, and the first ten minutes of game ended in a tie. Levi liked these kinds games as they made life harder for him and they pushed him to be better, to improve as he was playing and come up with new strategies, adapting to the situation in front of him. 

Before the second quarter, the coach made some changes and Oluo stayed outside while Nicolo took his place. The game started again with the home team on offence. The ball crossed the court from left to right many times before landing on Gunther’s hands who taken by the euphory of the moment, tossed it from the three-point line. It miraculously went inside, electrifying the public and giving a moral boost to the whole team. 

The adversaries didn’t get discouraged and accepted the challenge, making the game one of the most stimulating and refreshing ones Levi had ever played. It was fun, and it reminded him why he loved playing basketball so much. The same electricity running through the players, the audience cheering for them, and the thrill of it all were things that Levi loved and that would never get boring or tiring for him, instead they spurred him on more than anything else ever did. 

He chased after the ball that was currently in the opponents’ hands, closely marking a player as he was about to receive the ball. He swiftly snatch it away from him and tossed him to Nicolo who was free from markers. The boy made his way to the other side of the court, only giving the ball to his teammates when his path was blocked. Erd received it and crossed the few meters that separated him from the basket without problems. There was already an adversary under the goal, so he faked a pass to the left and instead jumped up. The other player was only a second behind him, but it was enough of a disadvantage and the ball went inside. 

The away team promptly gained the points back, though, and kept Levi and his teammates always on edge as they didn’t have enough points of advantage to confidently say they’d win the game. Both coaches made some changes in the formation, but when the third quarter began, the players on the court were the same ones as at the beginning of the game. 

Levi was able to score some points himself, all from under the basket as he regretfully couldn’t slam the ball inside, but he assisted his teammates even more, providing constant support and knowing he was the backbone of the team was enough satisfaction for him. 

Still, what made him the most satisfied was stealing the ball from his adversaries and seeing their faces turn from surprise to disappointment to revenge as it happened when once again he took the ball from right under their nose. He bounced it across the court, exchanging the sphere with Mike and Oluo until he was unable to receive it again because he was being marked. 

Levi dribbled past the player in front of him, faking a move to the right and instead going left, and joined his teammates under the basket. Gunther was bouncing the ball now, looking for a free pathway and found it when Levi freed himself. He tossed him the ball and Levi didn’t think twice before aiming for the basket. The sphere circled the rim of the hoop and then went inside, a smirk appearing on Levi’s lips as it did so. 

The smile didn’t disappear after that and as his team continued to score, it seemed like it was going to stay there indefinitely. The initial enthusiasm still hadn’t vanished and even if the game was hard and tiring, Levi didn’t want it to end. In the break between the third and last quarter he couldn’t stay still, his whole body buzzing with need to play again. The thought that these were going to be his last ten minutes as a high school player briefly crossed his mind, but Levi didn’t let it take away any of the joy and eagerness that were running through his veins. 

The last quarter started with the home team in the lead by three points and they all did their best to keep it that way. Mike jumped to the basket more than usual and Gunther tried again to score from the three pint arc, sometimes scoring and sometimes not, but in either case he had a determined look in his eyes that affected the whole team. 

The adversaries were persistent, Levi had to give that to them, and it made it all the more fun for him. He crossed the court, supporting his team whenever he could steal the ball and his passes were more and more accurate, aiming for the right spot for his teammates to score. 

There were only two minutes left of the game and the divide between the teams had shrunk to only two points. The away team was in attack, charging forwards with all their strength. Levi was on their tracks, never letting them get too far ahead without feeling his pressing presence on them. However, he couldn’t get close enough to the ball as they kept tossing it from left to right at every second and all he could do was mark even closer the player in front of him. 

They were now under the basket and Oluo was ready to defend it, but he was fooled by a fake pass and didn’t see that they had tossed the ball to the left. Levi had noticed it and was running towards that side to stop the ball, but he was too slow, and the opponent jumped in the air, throwing the ball towards the basket and scoring. 

They had the same points again, and the clock was ticking. The home team gained control of the ball again and concentrated all its efforts on winning. The players crossed the court, tossing the ball to each other to avoid losing it, but didn’t get too far ahead as they were stopped right after the middle court. 

They were stalling and seconds ticked by. Mike had the ball and was looking for a way out. Levi couldn’t help him as all his attempts at freeing himself were in vain and he was stuck as well. On the other side of the court Erd manged to slip away from his marker, making the situation change all of a sudden. Mike tossed him the ball and in his eagerness to take it, Erd almost lost it, taking control of it only a few centimetres away from the white side line. They all followed him, and Levi could finally breathe again and put some more distance between himself and his marker. 

They all gathered under the basket as the seconds went by. Erd tossed the ball to Gunther who wisely chose not to try one of his crazy shots again and instead tossed it to Levi. The boy bounced it a few times on the ground and in a leap of faith, he aimed for the basket. The ball hit the rim and was about to fall on the wooden floor when Mike jumped and slammed it inside. 

No one rejoiced as there were still twenty seconds left on the clock and the ball was in the opponents’ hands. With the last bit of stamina, they all ran to the other side of the court, the same amount of hope in every single one of the ten players. The spectators had their eyes glued to the court, averting their gaze only to look at the clock that was signalling five seconds less than before. 

Levi had never been so desperate in his life. They couldn’t afford to lose, and tying would have been too much of a risk. They needed to win. He needed to. So he ran, carried on by his desperation and faith and a bit of confidence in their abilities. He knew they could make it, so he pushed forward and slowly closed the distance between himself and the guy holding the ball. 

He bent forward, uncaring of any possible elbows on his nose and touched the rough fabric just enough to make the opponent lose his grip on it. The sphere went astray on the court, rolling a few centimetres until Erd took hold of it. All of Levi’s hopes surfaced once again and he followed his teammate, more as a habit than as an actual need to score because the clock signalled there were only five seconds left. He smiled. Four. He ran forward. Three. Sweat was trickling down his forehead. Two. Pride was swelling in his chest. One. The referee blew his whistle and the game ended. 

They had won. 

The gym exploded in a loud roar and Levi was surrounded by his teammates as they congratulated each other. No matter how many times he had won, it still felt surreal and a genuine smile spread on Levi’s face. They all lingered on the court for a few minutes after the end, patting each other’s shoulders and exchanging congratulations, even the coach stayed behind until there were only a few people left in the gym and the players went to the locker room to finally shower. 

As he approached the room, Levi was suddenly surrounded by a pair of arms and a shrieking voice filled his ears. 

“Well done, Levi,” Hange said, crushing him in their embrace. 

“Get off, I’m sweaty,” Levi weakly pushed them away. 

“Go shower then,” his friend said, freeing Levi. “We’re going ahead to get everything ready for the party, don’t be late,” they added and after shaking Levi’s shoulders once again, they left with Moblit. 

Levi showered and changed as fast as he could, and he was even more eager to get to Hange’s house when he received a text from Eren. It simply said “we won” with a smiley emoji, but it still filled him of joy, and he couldn’t wait to celebrate both their victories together. 

He quickly packed his things and then left the school alone, letting his teammates go to Hange’s house at their own pace. He was aware it would have taken Eren at least an hour to get back from his game, but his feet carried him forward with the hope that maybe he would have been there sooner. 

As he walked through the city, his mind went back to the game and more than once, he caught himself smiling at the fresh memories. Basketball had always been one of his top priorities and having won another trophy made him proud of himself. All the hours he had spent training, sweating, and pushing himself to the limit had paid off and he had proven to himself he could do anything he wanted if he set his heart on it. 

Once at Hange’s, Levi was surprised by the amount of people that were already there. They had said that the party would have been for only a few close friends, but maybe Hange and Levi had different opinions of what that meant. Some cars were parked in front of the house and people kept going inside where the music was already blasting. Levi didn’t know how Hange’s parents let them do those kinds of parties unsupervised, but then again, nothing had ever happened, so maybe Hange was more responsible than what they seemed. 

Levi crossed the threshold, frowning for the loud music that almost deafened him and put his sports bag in a closet that hopefully no one was going to open before walking around the house, looking for his friend. As he walked he recognised some of his schoolmates, but he simply greeted them with a nod, trying to avoid as much unnecessary human interaction as he could until Eren arrived. 

He found Hange in the kitchen with Moblit, intent on opening crisps packets and pouring them into five bowls to then take them around. 

“Hey,” he said as he stopped next to them. 

Hange raised their head and widely smiled at him. “You made it,” they said. 

“No, this is my ghost,” Levi replied, rolling his eyes. 

“Then help me with these bowls, Levi’s ghost,” they grinned and shoved two plates in his hands. 

Levi clicked his tongue but didn’t complain; he was in a good mood and he needed some distraction while he waited for Eren. It also meant that he could eat from a bowl on his own without anyone’s dirty hands grabbing food and shoving it in their mouths in front of him, and that was all the motivation he needed to help Hange. 

More and more people started to arrive, and the house was soon pretty full, but Levi mainly hung out with Hange and Moblit when they weren’t doing rounds to see if food or drinks were missing. As per usual, Hange monopolised the conversation, alternating between talking about the best parts of the game and making plans for prom, but Levi didn’t always listen to them as he often checked his phone for any new messages from Eren. 

A light of hope sparkled inside of him when he saw Jean walk in with Mikasa followed by two other members of the soccer team. From that moment on, Levi kept throwing glances at the door and at his phone, impatient to see if Eren had contacted him but in vain. Ten minutes after, though, the boy finally arrived together with Erwin and Armin and Levi’s heart skipped a beat. He moved through the mass of people to greet him and the welcoming smile he received when Eren noticed him was the final blow to his heart. 

“Congratulations,” Eren said, taking Levi between his arms and pressing him tight to his chest. 

Levi hugged him back and deeply inhaled the scent of the minty soap he had used. “You too.” 

When Eren pulled back, Erwin and Armin greeted him as well before leaving them alone. Levi and Eren moved to a more tranquil area than the entryway and found an empty spot in the dining room. A few other students were there, but they were busy eating and chatting, so they paid no mind to them as they stopped in front of the radiator under the window. 

“How was the game?” Eren asked. 

“Fun,” Levi simply replied. “Yours?” 

“A bitch, but Erwin managed to score at the last minute.” 

“So we both get the crown this year.” 

Eren looked confused for a second before he understood what Levi meant. “Oh that,” he said. “It was silly anyway.” 

“Really?” Levi replied as a corner of his lips turned upwards in a grin. “You always made sure to remind me I was a loser at the beginning of the school year.” 

“I seriously called you that, didn’t I?” Eren groaned. 

“You did.” 

“I’m sorry.” 

“It’s okay,” Levi said. “I just enjoy teasing you about when you were a brat.” 

“So I’m not one anymore?” Eren asked with a playful look in his eyes. 

“A bit less,” Levi smirked. 

Eren smiled. “Can I tell you something that will me look even more like a brat?” 

“What?” 

“I’ve missed you today.” 

“We saw each other this afternoon,” Levi said. 

“I still missed seeing you on the stands with my T-shirt on,” Eren replied, moving closer to Levi so that their bodies were brushing. 

Levi clicked his tongue, but didn’t protest when Eren’s lips pressed on his, instead he wrapped his arms around the boy’s neck and kissed him back. He had missed him too and as their mouths were pressed together and he could finally feel him again, Levi sighed in contentment. 

Eren took the noise as an encouragement and slowly pushed him towards the radiator while he nibbled Levi’s bottom lip. Levi was far from complaining about it and using his arms, he heaved himself on the windowsill, wrapping his legs around Eren’s waist and his arms around his neck again. 

Eren’s tongue darted out and Levi happily welcomed him. He opened his mouth and let Eren take over him, licking and sucking his tongue while he simply followed his lead. The happiness from the game was still alive inside of him and as he kissed Eren, it came back in full force and added to that of having Eren in his arms. 

His entire body was pervaded by the new feeling and he took Eren closer to him, hands going in his hair to mess with his bun. Eren felt his eagerness and broke the kiss to plant open-mouthed kisses on his neck. Levi threw his head to the side while his lips parted, desperately trying to get some air, but when Eren bit his skin, a low moan left from them and Eren suddenly pulled away. 

“It’s better if we go somewhere else,” he said in a rough voice. 

Levi agreed as people were throwing glances at them and he wanted to have Eren all for himself. He led the boy to Hange’s laundry room downstairs where there were no people and the music was considerably less loud. 

Levi barely had the time to lock the door behind them before Eren pressed him against the wall and roughly kissed him, biting his bottom lip before pushing his tongue inside. Levi was as impatient as him and snuck his hands under Eren’s sweatshirt, travelling up his back and then moving to the front to graze over Eren’s nipples. 

Eren moaned into the kiss and the sound travelled down inside of Levi, filling him with arousal. His hand went further down Eren’s body, slipping under the hem of his jeans while the other one pinched his nipple. The euphory from the game still hadn’t left him, but he didn’t care about celebrating with other people, he just wanted Eren. 

He brushed the coarse hair of Eren’s crotch before his hand dug deeper, eliciting another moan from Eren that made their lips part. 

“Levi,” Eren’s voice was hoarse and his eyes blown with need when he looked at him. 

“Eren,” Levi replied with the same desire in his eyes. 

“Fuck.” 

Eren pressed his lips on him again while he fumbled with the fly of Levi’s jeans. The kiss was messy and quick, both of them trying to undo each other’s pants in a tangle of arms and shared moans. 

“I guess you don’t have anything with you,” Eren said. 

Levi shook his head. He didn’t usually walk around with condoms and lube in his pockets. 

“I have an idea, lean on the washing machine.” 

Levi moved towards the object next to the door, resting on his elbows while he looked at Eren over his shoulders. He smirked when Eren bit his bottom lip, evidently trying to hold back, and shook his ass to tease him some more. 

“Well?” he said, raising an eyebrow. 

Eren groaned and moved behind him, pulling his jeans and underwear down before doing the same with his own. Levi had turned his head to the front, thinking he was going to feel Eren’s tongue on him soon, but he was surprised when Eren pressed his thighs together and slid his cock between them. 

“Is this okay?” he said. 

“Yeah.” 

It was beyond okay. He could feel every inch of Eren as he rubbed against his sensitive skin and then against his balls. Levi had to stand on his toes, and he was sure Eren was slightly crouching too, but it was worth it. Eren was panting in his ear, his hot breath fanning over him made him shiver and he was too hard to wait until they got home. 

Eren’s hand laced with his, their matching bracelets resting on each other, and Levi squeezed it tight as an encouragement. Eren rested his head on Levi’s shoulder and as he started to move, Levi closed his eyes, letting himself feel the way Eren’s cock slid between his legs and rubbed on his balls. 

Since he didn’t have to wait for Levi to adjust to him, Eren set a fast pace from the beginning, dragging his teeth over Levi’s neck as he moved with sharp thrusts. Levi threw his head backwards, parting his lips in a low moan when Eren bit his skin. He saw stars behind his closed eyelids and heat was coiling in his belly, cock already leaking pre-come. 

Eren wrapped a hand around him, thumbing his head and stroking him in time with his thrusts. It made Levi’s knees weak from pleasure and if Eren hadn’t been holding him, he would have fallen on the ground. 

Moans and sighs were leaving his lips as Eren kept moving both his hips and hand, taking him closer to the edge. His grip on Eren’s hand was crushing, he knew it, but it was the only thing still reminding him of where he was. His thoughts were being swept away, so he held on to Eren while the boy quickly pumped him, and his cock set his thighs on fire. 

Eren kissed his neck all the way up to his ear, giving special attention to the sensitive spot behind it, sending more jolts of pleasure down Levi’s spine. His touch was rough and desperate, matching Levi’s own. 

“Eren,” Levi warned; he was close and didn’t want to wait anymore. 

Eren quickened his pace, thrusting and stroking with the sole intention of getting him off, and Levi turned his head to kiss him, squeezing his thighs as much as he could to give Eren what he needed. Their lips met for a brief second before Eren’s body went rigid and he came with Levi’s name in his mouth. Levi followed him soon after, painting the washing machine with hot spurts of cum. 

Eren pulled back and with his breath uneven, he tugged himself back into his pants before slumping on the ground. Without his support Levi’s legs trembled and after covering himself, Levi sat beside him. 

“Wow,” was all Eren said. 

“Yeah.” 

Eren wrapped an arm around his middle and Levi snuggled closer to him, too tired to do anything else. 

“I love you,” Eren said, kissing Levi’s hair. 

Levi raised his eyes to meet his. “Me too.” 

Eren’s lips opened up into his usual smile, making Levi’s heart skip a beat and then he kissed him, slowly and tenderly, and Levi completely melted under that touch. 

“I’ll miss seeing you at my games next year,” Eren said when their lips parted. 

“I’ll come see you whenever I get back.” 

Eren pressed him closer to his body. “Can I come visit you every once in a while?” 

“Of course,” Levi immediately replied. “Whenever you want,” he already knew he was going to miss Eren and that they wouldn’t be able to see each other as often as they did now, so he welcomed every opportunity to be together. 

Eren smiled, but there was a hint of sadness in his eyes. “I’ll call you every day,” he said. “And we could facetime if you want.” 

“I can’t wait to see your cock on full screen,” Levi smirked. 

“That’s not what I meant,” Eren protested. 

“Sure.” 

Eren opened his mouth to speak again, but Levi covered his mouth with his own, kissing him hard to bring him back to the present. 

“I know,” he said when he pulled back. “But we’ve just won our games and had a celebratory fuck, can we leave the sadness for another time?” 

“I don’t know,” Eren replied, fighting to keep his mouth from twitching. “I think I need a bit more convincing.” 

“You brat,” Levi said, grinning and straddled Eren’s lap, kissing the smirk away from his lips. 

They remained in the laundry room for almost an hour, kissing and touching each other to their hearts’ content. Before going back to the party, Levi cleaned the washing mashing of their drying come, leaving no evidence of their actions other than the red marks on their necks. They then left the room and merged with the mass of people, looking for the friends they had abandoned. 

“There you are,” Hange said when they entered the kitchen. “Where have you gone?” 

“Nowhere,” Levi replied. 

Hange eyed them suspiciously and all their other friends as well, but Levi didn’t cave under their gaze. 

“Anyway, Erwin was telling us about the game,” Hange said, thankfully dropping the topic. 

“Yeah, Eren told me. Congratulations.” 

“Thanks,” Erwin said, and then went on narrating what had happened on the field. 

Levi and Eren exchanged a knowing glance, and after lacing their fingers together, they spent the rest of the night clinging onto each other. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Feedback is appreciated and you can always find me on [ Tumblr ](https://rachel--exe.tumblr.com/) :)


	32. Chapter 32

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello, and welcome to the last chapter of this fic! Before getting sappy, I'm going to link the [ fanart ](https://liselawliet.tumblr.com/post/172725069120/basketball-player-levi-and-soccer-player-eren) that inspired all of this and that I regularly admire because I love it that much!  
> I can't believe this fic got this long, when I first started it I thought it was going to be 20 chapters at most, but there's now over 30. I won't lie, I hit many bumps in the road and posting this has often been emotionally taxing for me, but my love for ereri and my perfectionist ass made me do it anyway. I know it's not the best fanfiction ever and that it has many flaws, but I'm glad I finished it and I'm quite proud of that, I'll always have fond memories of the time I've spent writing it. I want to thank all the people that have commented on this fic, I know everyone says this, but comments are seriously motivating and have helped me continue the story, so thank you so much again <3 <3  
> This is it, I really hope you've enjoyed the fic, please let me know if you did, and enjoy this last chapter :)

Without basketball training, Levi’s days were empty and as it happened every year, he felt like something was missing in his life. He had dedicated a lot of his time to basketball, but now that the league had officially ended, he didn’t know what to do. He still trained by himself and occasionally even with his now former teammates, but it was different because he knew he would never play in that gym again.

Classes were about to end as well, and finals were slowly approaching. If Levi had to be honest, he wasn’t that nervous about it as he had been so stressed and under pressure during the entire year that he just wanted to get it over with and looked forward to the day he would finally be free. 

He regularly studied with Hange and Erwin, but more often than not the conversation steered away to other topics. Hange was overly excited about prom, but more than anything else, they were sad about the end of their high school life. They were worried the three of them would lose contact and never speak to each other again once they had made new friends in college. No matter how many times Erwin and Levi assured them it would never happen, the topic often put them in a gloomy mood. 

Levi was ready to leave high school and start a new life, but he couldn’t deny he was worried about the future. It would be completely different from how he had lived until then, he wouldn’t have his friends nor Eren around him and he would have to interact with people he had never met before. Yet, the idea of having a place to come back to and people there to support him was comforting and the new path ahead looked less menacing with that thought in the back of his mind. 

For now, though, he focused on the few things left to do as a high schooler, prom being the most imminent one. The event wasn’t on the list of things that made Levi happy, but Eren was almost as excited as Hange about it and seeing him beaming with joy did, in fact, make Levi happy, so the afternoon before the dance, he mentally prepared himself for the inevitable. He stayed in his room and watched a basketball game to charge up his social batteries and a little less than an hour before he was supposed to leave, he got ready for the night. 

He took a long shower, thoroughly cleaning himself, and then took his time with drying his hair. He had gone to the mall together with Eren the week before and had found a new suit that worked for prom, but also for future formal events. It was black with a white shirt underneath and it hugged his body perfectly. It was comfortable to wear, and he was pleased with it, the only problem was that he didn’t know how to tie a necktie. He had watched some tutorials on the internet, yet the result still left something to desire. 

He looked at himself in the bathroom mirror as he fixed his tie, pulling it here and there and even if it wasn’t perfect he decided it was decent enough. He styled his hair in his usual middle parting and then slicked his sides backwards with some hair gel, leaving only a few stray hairs to fall on his forehead. 

He gave himself a once over, and was about to wash his hands from the hair product when there was a knock at the door. 

“Are you done?” Kenny asked. 

Busy with getting ready, Levi had almost forgotten his uncle had been at home all day. It wasn’t unusual these days and more than once they had been at home for several hours at the same time. Because of it, they had gotten a lot closer and didn’t feel like strangers to each other, but Levi wasn’t used to it yet and often forgot his presence after spending the day in his room. 

“Yes,” Levi replied, and quickly washed and dried his hands. 

He opened the door and immediately saw his uncle standing in front of him. Kenny was grinning as he took in his appearance until his eyes landed on Levi’s tie. 

“That tie looks like shit.” 

“Thanks,” Levi said with a deadpan expression on his face. 

“I’ll show you how to do it,” Kenny said, and swiftly fixed it. 

Levi looked at him in disbelief. He had never seen Kenny dress up, he only wore sports wear at home and occasionally a loosely buttoned shirt when he went to work. 

“Don’t look at me as if I was an alien,” Kenny said. “I had to tie a tie in a few occasions.” 

“Very few I suppose,” Levi smirked. 

“Is this the way to treat your old man?” Kenny retorted. “Finish to get ready, I’ll drop you off at school.” 

“It’s fine, I can walk.” 

“C’mon, I’ll take you,” Kenny insisted. “I have to go to work anyway.” 

“Alright then.” 

Levi left the bathroom to put on his new shoes and Kenny went in to get ready. While he waited beside the front door, Levi’s phone buzzed in his pocket, and when he unlocked it, his breath hitched in his throat. It was a selfie from Eren in his suit, looking like a god. Levi stared at it, unable to tear his eyes away from the picture and unaware of his surroundings. He had seen Eren try the suit on and had been graced by a similar vision, but now he looked even better. The outfit was similar to Levi’s, the only differences were the bright pink shirt and the bowtie. 

“What are you looking at?” 

Kenny’s voice brought Levi back to earth and he quickly pocketed his phone again after saving the image. 

“Are you done?” Levi retorted. “I would already be at school if I had walked.” 

“Yeah, yeah, get in the car,” Kenny said, smirking. 

Levi did just that, impatient to see Eren and he sneakily looked at the picture once more before his uncle got in as well. 

“Do you have everything?” Kenny asked as he got in. 

“Yes, we can go now.” 

“Alright.” 

They left the house and as they were on the road, Levi noticed the dust and dirt covering the interiors of the car. He grimaced and remained as still as possible to avoid getting the suit dirty while he made a mental note to clean the vehicle during the weekend. 

The drive was mostly silent, and they soon arrived at school. There were a lot of cars parked outside and people going in and out, some waiting in front of the gate in groups and that’s where Levi found Eren. He was with Armin and Erwin, but Hange was nowhere to be seen. 

“There you go,” Kenny said. “I’ll come home late as usual.” 

“Okay,” Levi replied, opening the door. 

“Don’t do anything stupid.” 

Levi rolled his eyes. “Yeah, bye,” he closed the door behind him, and Kenny drove away. 

Levi unhurriedly approached his friends, giving Eren a once over from behind before joining them. 

“Hi babe,” Eren said, smiling when he got near him. 

Levi thought he had descended into another dimension filled with angles that looked like Eren. The boy looked even better than in the picture with the suit highlighting his lean body and the neatly styled bun that made his sharp jawline stand out. 

“Hi,” Levi replied, clearing his throat. “Where’s Hange?” 

“They’re inside,” Erwin replied. “We were waiting for you.” 

Levi shifted his attention to his friend and Armin that were wearing almost matching suits. Erwin’s one was of a dark blue while Armin’s was of a lighter blue and they both had a light grey shirt underneath it. 

“Let’s join them then,” Levi said. 

When they entered the gym, there were already people everywhere, some holding plastic cups, others chatting in groups and a few sat alone on the stands. The coloured lights turned the objects to different shades of green, blue, and red and there was already some background music, but no one was on the dance floor yet. 

“Levi, you’ve arrived,” Hange called from behind them. 

Levi turned around and was surprised to see his friend wearing a dark green dress with short sleeves and sandals. He had never seen Hange that dressed up and he had to admit the outfit suited them. As expected, they were with Moblit who was happily tagging along while holding their hand. He was wearing a dark grey suit with a forest green shirt underneath it and a white bow tie. 

“You’re very fancy in that suit,” Hange said, taking in Levi’s appearance. 

“Look who’s talking,” Levi replied. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you in a dress.” 

“Today I felt like it, it’s so breezy.” 

They let go of Moblit’s hand and spun around to show off the floaty dress. 

“You look very nice,” Armin complimented them. 

“Thanks,” Hange beamed. 

They formed a group under the basketball and as they talked, the gym started to fill up. Levi recognised some of his teammates and exchanged brief greetings with them. Everyone had dressed up for the occasion, except a few people that were wearing jeans or even sweatpants, but most of them looked really excited and happy. 

Now that he was there, Levi realised prom wasn’t as bad as he had thought, but that was mainly due to Eren. He sneaked glances of him whenever he could, unable to get enough of him and every time he admired him in awe. Eren caught him a few times and smiled at him, wrapping an arm around Levi’s waist, but only when he met Levi’s eyes for the tenth time, he leaned into his ear to whisper: 

“You look really good.” 

Levi grinned, pleased by the compliment. “You’re not so bad yourself.” 

“Thanks,” Eren said, kissing his cheek. 

Right then the music picked up and people started to crowd the dance floor. 

“It’s our time, guys,” Hange said. “Let’s go.” 

Without waiting for anyone, they ran towards the crowd, dragging Moblit with them. Levi and his friends stayed behind and watched Hange hit every person near them in an attempt to dance to the rhythm of the music. They didn’t seem sorry for it and continued with their moves, a happy smile on their face and dress swirling around them. 

“They never change,” Erwin commented, amused. 

They never did, Levi agreed, and hopefully never would. 

“Do you guys want to grab a drink?” Eren asked. 

They all agreed and swam through the crowd until they reached the table with the beverages. They all got a cup each and remained on the side-lines, keeping an eye on Hange and Moblit who had officially become a saint in their eyes. 

Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves, except for the few people that were alone on the stands or near the entrance, but most of them had their phones in their hands, so maybe they were enjoying themselves in their own way. Levi stayed with his friends during the whole time, trying to avoid entering the dance floor for as long as he could, but when the DJ put a slow song on and Eren looked at him with those pleading eyes, he couldn’t say no to him, and followed him in the middle of the gym. 

Every couple was slowly swaying to the music, some smiling, others hugging each other, and no one minded them. Levi put his hands around Eren’s neck and Eren rounded his waist with his arms, looking at him with loving eyes and a tender smile on his lips that made Levi’s heart pick up the beat. 

Despite his aversion for social situations, Levi didn’t regret going to prom with Eren because as they slowly moved to the song, the rest of the people vanished, and he was surrounded by a bubble made only for him and Eren where Levi felt comfortable and loved. 

He caressed Eren’s neck with his thumbs and smiled at him before standing on his toes and kissing him. When their mouths met, the music vanished as well and the only thing he could feel was the soft touch of Eren’s lips on his own, moving together and feeding their love. 

When they parted, Eren wrapped his arms around Levi tighter, bringing him closer to his body. 

“I love you,” he said. 

“I love you too,” Levi replied, and rested his head on Eren’s shoulder, relishing in the thought. 

They remained like that even when the music picked up and people began dancing like crazy around them, singing and bumping into them. What brought them back to reality was Hange who disturbed their moment with their voice. 

“You two are the cutest things ever, but this isn’t the time to be sappy, it’s time to party,” they shouted. 

Levi glared at them, still determined to cling onto Eren, but Hange forcibly pulled them apart and brought them in the middle of the gym to dance. Eren laughed and eagerly complied, dragging Levi along with him and pulling moves even worse than Hange’s. They helped Levi feel less uncomfortable and when Erwin and Armin joined them as well, he was more at ease. 

After a few dances Levi and Eren went back to the table with food and drinks to take a break and get away from the heat of the crowd. 

“My feet are sore,” Eren complained after drinking some water. 

“Mine too,” Levi said. “Let’s go sit somewhere for a while.” 

They moved through the people and climbed up the stands, sitting in a corner, away from the other students resting. 

“I’m really glad we came,” Eren said with a smile on his lips, looking at the people below them. 

Levi trained his eyes on him. “Me too,” he said. “I should have known you’d look good in a suit.” 

Eren turned his head towards him, smiling wider. “Did you like the selfie?” 

“I almost had a stroke.” 

Eren laughed, circling Levi’s waist with his arm. “I’m glad,” he said. “Not that you almost had a stroke,” he added when Levi raised an eyebrow. “Just that you liked it. You should have returned the favour, though.” 

“I was waiting for my uncle,” Levi replied. 

“Oh, yeah, did you come with him?” 

Levi nodded. “He insisted.” 

Eren smiled and Levi could tell he was genuinely happy for him. His heart leapt in his chest at the gesture and he cupped Eren’s face, rubbing the warm skin with his thumbs before placing his lips on Eren’s. The boy hugged him tighter and softly kissed him back, letting Levi dictate the pace. 

Levi kissed him harder, nibbling his bottom lip, already feeling the need to have more of him, but a voice he knew all too well interrupted them. 

“Stop making out and come down,” Hange yelled from below them. 

Levi groaned and pulled away to glare at them. Their hair was messier than usual, and they looked like they had run a marathon. He couldn’t help the smile that curved his mouth upwards at the sight and giving Eren a resigned look, he stood up. 

“We’re coming, shitty glasses,” he said, making his way down with Eren behind him. “Stop bothering us.” 

“Don’t be a grumpy ass,” Hange retorted when he was next to them. “The party is still going on.” 

They wound an arm around Levi’s shoulders and the other around Eren’s and dragged them back to the dance floor. They were reunited with their friends once again and spent the rest of the night swaying along to the music with feet that grew heavier, but with lightness in their hearts. 

Levi stayed close to Eren whose hands always found a way to touch his body and whose eyes never left him. He could feel them on himself as he moved to the music and when he met Eren’s gaze, the boy wasn’t always looking upwards. As many other couples, they ended up kissing in the middle of the gym, but their kiss was more heated than the previous ones and left them both panting, eager for more. They still remained at the party until it officially ended, bodies moving close and hands exploring the other. 

Once prom was over, everyone looked dead tired and slowly made their way outside to go home. 

“I don’t want to leave,” Hange said when they were the last ones on the dance floor. 

“It’s time,” Levi retorted. 

“C’mon, Hange,” Erwin said. “We can’t stay here forever.” 

Hange pouted and didn’t move from where they were. 

“We’ll see each other next week,” Armin said, trying to win them over. 

“And we can go out together another day, right guys?” Moblit added. 

They all agreed and even if reluctantly, they managed to drag Hange away from the empty dance floor. When they left the school, the cool air hit their heated skin and partially woke them up. 

“Can’t we party some more at my place?” Hange said in a desperate attempt to prolong the night. 

“Not today,” Erwin replied with a kind smile. 

“I thought so,” Hange retorted in a sad voice. “Goodbye then, I love you guys, all of you.” 

“We love you too,” Eren said while the rest of the group chuckled. 

“Don’t let them drive off the road,” Levi told Moblit. 

“I’m driving tonight,” the boy replied, and after that, the group dispersed. 

“My uncle said he’ll come home late tonight,” Levi said once he was alone with Eren. 

Eren bit his bottom lip and the feral look that crossed his eyes heated Levi’s body and made his feet move on their own. 

They arrived at Levi’s house in a matter of minutes and when the door was locked behind them, Eren pinned Levi to the wall and kissed him. His touch was ravenous without the need to hold back as when they were in public and it made Levi dizzy. His head was filling with want and his body responded with equal hunger for the other. Their tongues met and when Eren’s hands went to cup his ass, Levi moaned into the kiss as his pants got more uncomfortable. 

When their lips parted, Eren moved down to Levi’s neck, leaving open-mouthed kisses all along his skin until he reached his ear. 

“I want you so badly,” he said in a hoarse voice. “Please tell me the couch is okay.” 

Levi groaned as Eren licked his earlobe. “Fine, but the stuff is upstairs.” 

Eren looked at him almost in disbelief and the excitement in his eyes made Levi’s heart throb. 

“Go wait for me,” Levi said and headed for the stairs. “And Eren? Don’t take off your clothes.” 

Eren hissed and quickly nodded before going into the living room. 

Levi dashed to his room and hastily rummaged through his nightstand until he found condoms, lube, and tissues. He ran downstairs and was pleased to see Eren was still in his suit and had even placed a blanket on the sofa. He had only removed his shoes and Levi did the same. 

When he entered the living room, Eren’s eyes moved from him to the objects in his hands. “This is a dream come true.” 

Levi scoffed. “Don’t get too messy, the couch is a bitch to clean.” 

“Yes, sir.” 

Levi placed the objects on the coffee table and straddle Eren’s lap, bringing his hands around the boy’s neck. Eren didn’t waste any time and cupped Levi’s ass, squeezing it as he brought their bodies close. Levi grinned at his impatience, but he was as eager as him and tugging at his hair, he kissed him. 

Their mouths met sloppily and Eren was soon nibbling Levi’s bottom lip, tongue darting out to ask for entrance, but Levi broke the kiss and pushed him down on the couch. He undid the bowtie and the first buttons of the shirt, just enough to lick a stripe up Eren’s neck. 

“I’ve been thinking about doing this to you all night,” he said. “You’re driving me crazy in this suit.” 

He bit Eren’s earlobe and the boy jerked his hips upwards as a groan left his lips. 

The first piece of clothing to go was the jacket that landed on the floor next to their shoes. Levi then undid all the buttons of the shirt, almost ripping some of them off, and basked in the sight of Eren’s toned chest. He started with small kisses on the collarbones and made his way downwards while Eren panted underneath him. 

He kissed every inch of Eren’s skin on his way down. He took his time worshipping Eren’s body as he deserved, unhurriedly licking and biting his nipples and savouring him. Eren’s breaths came out uneven and his hands first clutched Levi’s shoulders and then found a way into his hair when Levi reached the hem of his trousers. 

Levi looked up at him. His cheeks were flushed, and his lips were parted and glistening with saliva. When their eyes met, Levi slowly pulled down Eren’s clothes and watched him as his pupils dilated with lust. He smirked and removed the last piece of clothing straining Eren’s cock. The boy hissed and muttered a “fuck” when the cool air hit his hot skin, writhing even more on the small couch. 

Levi loved seeing him like that because of him. 

He took Eren’s cock in his hand and licked it from the base to the head where a bead of pre-come was forming. He lapped at Eren’s cock with long strokes, covering it with his saliva and decidedly driving Eren mad with his slow touches. He loved teasing him as well. 

He licked away more pre-come before finally taking the head into his mouth and sucking. Eren sighed in relief and his fingers brushed through Levi’s hair, messing his hairstyle so that a few hairs fell on his face. Levi moved lower and lower, sucking and licking until Eren’s cock hit the back of his throat. He carefully breathed through his nose as tears stung his eyes, but the way Eren was moaning with his body tense from the effort of holding back made it all worth it. 

He did it a few more times, bobbing his head up and down and letting Eren’s cock slide on his tongue. Eren’s grip on his hair grew tighter with every suck and his moans filled the room. Levi followed the sounds Eren made and was pleased whenever a particularly high pitched moan spilled from his lips, a smirk often stretching around Eren’s cock. 

As Levi had suspected, it didn’t take Eren long to come and after muttering a warning between moans, his orgasm overtook him. Levi sucked him through it and pulled away once Eren had stopped squirming and was lying on the sofa, panting. Their eyes met and Eren softly smiled. 

“C’mere,” he said. 

Levi straddled him again and met him halfway for a kiss that made his heart swell. 

“It’s my turn now,” Eren said when the kiss broke. “I’m going to make you feel so good.” 

Levi grinned and lay back on the sofa, opening his legs as an invite. “Get on with it then.” 

Eren was on him at the speed of light and Levi soon found himself completely naked. Eren kissed him again, rolling his tongue past his lips and licking his mouth. Levi wound his arms around Eren’s neck and lost himself in the kiss. Eren’s tongue on his was the only thing he could feel in that moment and once again, Eren’s presence made everything else around him disappear. They were the only people in the world in that moment, simply loving each other and Levi wouldn’t have changed this reality for any fantasy. 

He was taken away from his daze when Eren’s mouth left his and moved down his body, even lower than he had anticipated. 

“Fuck,” he hissed when Eren bent him in half and licked his entrance. 

He gripped the blanket and squeezed his eyes shut when Eren’s tongue lapped over his hole and then pushed past the tight ring of muscles. It was a new feeling for Levi, but he didn’t mind it, in fact, Eren could do this to him every single day for the rest of his life and he wouldn’t complain. The way Eren’s tongue thrust in and out of him brought a new kind of pleasure to him and his whole body felt on fire, ready to explode at any moment. 

He was disappointed when Eren’s tongue left him, but soon the sound of the lube popping open echoed in the room and then Eren’s tongue was inside him again together with a finger. The new stretch added to the pleasure and when Eren began massaging his walls, Levi could see stars behind his eyelids. Eren wasn’t joking when he said he was going to make him feel good. 

Another finger joined the first one, swapping places with the tongue and Levi could lie back on the sofa more comfortably. He peered his eyes open and blinked a few time as he regained consciousness of the world. 

“Was that okay?” Eren asked. 

Levi looked him. “Yeah,” he said in a strained voice. “Too good.” 

“Told you,” Eren winked and then pecked his lips. 

He worked him open, stretching his hole and thrusting in and out. He inserted another finger and continued with his ministrations, bringing Levi close to the edge while he made sure he was ready. When Eren finally removed his fingers, Levi was torn between disappointment and relief, but when Eren rolled a condom on himself and poured more lube on his cock, impatience overcame both. 

“I’m not going to last long,” Levi warned as Eren lined himself up. 

“It’s fine, me neither.” 

Eren kissed him as he pushed inside in one long motion. Levi clenched around him and encircled his shoulders with his arms, deepening the kiss to taste Eren on his tongue. It was intoxicating and he couldn’t get enough of him, no matter how many times he had explored Eren’s mouth. 

Eren started with careful thrusts, but the rhythm didn’t last long, and he was soon pounding into Levi, forcing their mouths apart as each was desperate for air. Levi still found a way to have his lips on Eren as he kissed his neck and jaw and bit his shoulder, licking his skin all the way up to his earlobe. 

Eren moaned under his touch and fucked Levi harder, pushing him against the cushion of the couch. He easily found Levi’s prostate and with every thrust, waves of pleasure crashed through Levi’s body, washing everything else away. It was overwhelming and Levi could only hold on tighter to him, calling his name in a voice thick with need and meeting his thrusts in a desperate chase for his orgasm. 

Eren kissed him again, tongues meeting and hearts pounding. It was sloppy and desperate, much like their movements, but it didn’t matter, it was them meeting each other any way they could, physically and emotionally, and Levi wouldn’t have changed a single thing. 

Levi’s orgasm was building inside of him and heat was already coiling in his belly. He clenched harder around Eren, trying to hold back some more, but it only made Eren ram harder on his prostate, nullifying his efforts. 

“Eren,” Levi warned. 

“Come for me, Levi,” Eren whispered, licking his neck and the sound of his sultry voice was all it took for Levi to finally release himself, weakly stroking his cock. 

Eren came soon after, stilling inside of him as his lips parted to let out a distorted version of Levi’s name. After his orgasm, Eren pulled out and removed the used condom, wrapping it in a tissue. Levi looked at him through his haze and mouthed a “thank you” when he cleaned his stomach with another tissue. Eren smiled at him and once he had finished, he rested on top of Levi, burying his face in the crook of his neck. 

“I love you so much,” he muttered. 

Levi’s chest tighten and his heart beat faster. “Me too.” 

He caressed Eren’s back, mapping his skin with his fingertips. He felt on cloud nine with Eren between his arms to keep him warm and no barriers between their naked bodies. He kissed Eren’s hair and gently caressed it too. Eren’s breath was evening out and Levi himself was on the edge of sleep, but he kept his eyes open and looked at the boy in his arms with his heart full. 

They had been lying on the couch for what felt like hours when a sudden light illuminated the living room. Levi was still awake and looked at the window with horror. 

“Shit,” he muttered. “Eren, we need to move.” 

He shook the boy’s shoulders and Eren looked at him through sleepy eyes. “What?” 

“My uncle’s back.” 

What followed was the fastest run around the living room, trying to pick up every single evidence of their presence there and then they dashed to Levi’s room as the front door opened. They carefully listened as Kenny moved through the house, holding their breaths and clutching the clothes they had in their hands. Nothing seemed to be missing and when Kenny went upstairs and then into his room, they blew out a sigh of relief. 

They looked at each for a brief second and then started to laugh, covering their mouths to muffle the noise, but the reason why they were doing that only made them laugh harder. They were standing in the middle of Levi’s room, completely naked with their arms full of clothes and trying to be sneaky. The situation was ridiculous, but Levi had never felt more carefree and happy. 

Their eyes met and they smiled at each other, some more giggles leaving their lips. 

“That was close,” Eren whispered. 

“Yeah.” 

More giggles left their lips and then Eren threw his and Levi’s clothes on the floor. He cupped Levi’s face and even with only the light from the streetlamp illuminating the room, Levi could see the love reflected in them. As their lips met, Levi held onto Eren’s wrists, pouring all his love into the kiss and rubbing the black bracelet that held promises of forever. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and comments are appreciated and again, thank you so much for reading :)  
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